Fall Into Me
by RebelHeart87
Summary: Max Talbot met Juliet Forbes in 2007 and through a series of events were separated by circumstances that neither one could avoid. Can this hockey player and soldier find a way to be together? Rated M for language, violence, and sexual themes.
1. Chapter 01

**Author's Note: **This is my first story that I've decided to post on this site. I already post on Blogger and a group site, but I wanted to give this a try! I hope you guys like it!

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><p><strong>April 27, 2007<strong>

Her lungs burned , the muscles in her right side were cramping up like nobody's business and the bullet hole in her shoulder hurt like a bitch. It seemed like a clean through-and-through. But it was still bleeding some. It wasn't _pumping_ out though, so hopefully there was no arterial damage. Pausing against the trunk of a tree with her good arm, she could feel the slow, sticky drip of her life's essence fall down her arm.

_Can't stop. Keep moving. Get to safety._

Stumbling through the edge of the tree-line, she stared at the options in front of her. There were a few houses sporadically placed in a large clearing. It looked like a ritzy little neighborhood. To her right was a new section of woods and to the far left was a gravel road… it looked more like a private driveway than a street. While she stood there debating, she noticed that the house closest to her had a sliding back door. An open sliding back door. Behind her, she thought she heard a low buzz of ATVs that could be following her by now.

_Please don't be a house full of people_.

Being as careful and as stealthy as possible, she side-stepped through the grass in the backyard, all the while praying that no nosy neighbors were staring out their windows. Stopping at the door, she stayed flat against the frame of the house and pulled her gun out of her shoulder holster with a barely audible gasp of pain.

It had been awhile since she'd actually held her weapon, aside from those times at the range for target practice, but the piece felt like an extension of her arm. Hopefully she wouldn't have to use it.

_Fucking lucky that they shot my holster shoulder and not my left one._

Taking a deep breath, she entered the house. It smelled like popcorn. Not a good sign that it was currently empty.

_Strike one._

Stepping through the kitchen and taking in her surroundings, she listened carefully, hearing the buzz of a television coming from the front of the house. She tiptoed over the tile and stifled a groan as her bag tilted and pressed against her wound. Walking lightly down the hallway, she could hear voices along with the sounds of some sort of sporting event.

_Strike two_.

The initial sense of calm that had come over her after stepping through the back door was draining her energy. Or maybe it was all the blood she'd lost so far. Either way, she could feel her adrenaline high come crashing down. She needed to get this over with. Quickly. She took a deep breath, cringed as the movement pulled at the stitch in her side, steadied her gun and stepped into the room.

Taking a quick inventory, she noted the two guys sitting in matching leather, over-stuffed recliners. They were the only two people she saw. Each one had a bowl of popcorn in their lap and she noted the longneck bottles on the coffee table in front of them. Their eyes were glued to the TV and she looked up as well, watching as a bunch of guys skated around a rink, smashing into one another. Bringing her focus back to the men, she leveled her gaze at the closest one. He was tall and lanky, a slight curl to hair that looked like it needed cut, and he was chewing on his lip.

The second one… he sent a shock of awareness through her body as she drank in the sight of him. He looked to be shorter than the first guy, closer to her height, and he had dark hair and a killer smile. It lit up his entire face as he laughed about someone falling to the ice. She could've stared at him forever but her moment was cut short when the bigger one stood and turned her way.

_Strike three. I'm out. Fuck_.

He hollered something in a language she didn't know and a look of surprise flew across his face before he glanced at the other man. She wished she knew what he had said, but languages weren't her forte. No, that was Orion's line of… she blinked back the threat of tears and leveled her gun at the big guy. Later… later she would mourn the loss of her team. After she got the bastard responsible.

"English Geno! I don't under… TABERNAK!"

The second guy stood quickly. His popcorn fell to the floor, spilling everywhere, and the smile she'd just been mesmerized by was gone from his lips. In its place was a fierce expression that she figured was meant to intimidate her. He obviously didn't know who he was dealing with. Then again, neither did she.

Keeping her gun trained on the giant's chest, she stared at this second man. His eyes were blue, bright blue. Like the glaciers she'd seen up north on her last mission or the water she'd been able to swim in during her first undercover-op in Bora Bora. She wanted to look away, but couldn't.

"Who are you? What do you want?"

His accent was thick, but it was distinctly French. Maybe he was French-Canadian. She'd been sent to Pittsburgh and it was full of hockey players. Maybe these were two of them. It would explain the house. And could cause a potential problem… as if the day could get much worse.

She continued to stare at him, not answering his questions. The magnetic pull she felt toward him almost brought her to her knees as she tried to keep from stepping closer to him. Maybe it was that loss of blood again, but she felt like she was going to pass out.

"Listen, I don't want to hurt you. I came in here for help."

"You 'ave a gun pointed at my friend. You broke in here… and _you_ want _our_ help? Are you crazy?"

He didn't sound scared, just extremely pissed off. She could understand that. She'd be pissed too. Her gun wavered slightly as she fought not to black out and she wondered if they noticed.

"Listen to me. I'm a 'good guy.' U.S. military… I'm just having a very, _very_ bad day. Look, I'm going to put my gun away."

Making a big show of un-cocking her gun and throwing on the safety, she tried to tuck it back into its holster. The twisting movement pulled at her wound though and she bit back a whimper of pain. As the light-headed feeling came back at full force, she pitched forward, her gun dropping at her feet. Not a classy move for a person in her position.

Blue Eyes jumped in to keep her from hitting the floor. As he reached to keep her upright though, his fingers squeezed where the bullet had passed through and the whimper she'd held back before came out, this time as a cry of pain and a curse. He kept one hand around her waist but the other one was held up between them, covered in red. Obviously the blood had soaked through her coat.

"What the… fuck, you're hurt! Is this blood? It looks like blood! Why are you bleeding?"

"Like I said," she gasped, "bad day. Now, if you want me to prove who I am, you're gonna need to help me get my identification out of my bag. I don't think I can get it off. Not without cutting the strap… and I really don't want to do that. Will you help me… please?"

She didn't know why she'd said please, but it had come out easily. And the plea must've made up his mind because he started to tell the tall one to go grab towels and hot water but then he must've thought better of it.

"Wait Geno… just get out of here. Is that alright if he leaves?"

She nodded her head and listened as the two of them fought about 'Geno' leaving. He didn't want to but Blue Eyes finally talked him into it. They were talking quietly and she didn't know what he told him, but the big guy nodded and headed out of the room at last.

"Don't… don't call the police. I need to call my boss first. He'll know what to do. I'm trusting you to keep that guy from running straight to the station."

"He's not going to any police building. He's going to… our boss I guess you could say. Let's go look at this injury. What happened?"

"Who's you boss? Are you in the mob?"

"No. And he's a pretty big deal around here. He can help."

"Is his name Lemieux?"

"How did you know that…"

"He's a friend of my boss."

They turned to go back the way she came, back toward the kitchen. A wave of dizziness hit her and she stumbled toward the wall. When she would've hit it though, she found that the wall felt strangely soft and smelled delicious. Strong arms picked her up, cradling her in an embrace that was soothing and jarring at the same time. Ever mindful of the throb in her right shoulder, she snuggled against the expanse of his chest. He sighed.

"Look, I'm trusting that you are who you say you are. A 'good guy' as you put it. If you want my help, the least you can do is tell me what the hell happened."

When they got to the kitchen he set her down on the edge of the table. He coaxed her bag from her shoulders, apologizing when the release of pressure caused her to try and stifle a groan of pain. The coat was easier to get off and she noticed that he didn't get squeamish at the sight of the hole she was sporting. Before he could continue his perusal of her injury, she placed a hand on his arm.

"Listen to me. I n-need you to do something for me. There's a satellite phone in the pocket of my bag. Get it, hold down the 'SEND' button. It'll connect you to my boss. When he answers… when he answers, tell him…"

Her brain grew fuzzy and her vision blurred. Mac needed to know what had happened though. Hell, he might find out before she called him if what Blue Eyes said was true.

"Tell him what," he insisted.

"Fuck… tell him 'Team Alpha' is in trouble. All gone but the Bard. And Benedict Arnold is on the loose.' Repeat that to me, okay?"

She listened, enthralled by his voice as he repeated it twice. She nodded at him and he pushed her back onto the table to relax as he pulled her phone out.

"Blue Eyes… listen… once you tell him that.. Take my stuff and get out of here. Leave me my gun, but take the rest. The possibility of men following me is too great for you to stay here too."

"I can't just leave and let someone kidnap you!"

"Kidnapping isn't what they'll have in mind. They would just want to finish what they started."

She watched his eyes flash as he comprehended what she'd just said. She was the last piece of the puzzle that stood in the way of a psychotic man's plan. Looking up into those eyes, she tried to stay alert enough to make sure he did what she asked.

"Call… him…"

He nodded gravely and put the phone to his ear. Mac should be expecting her to call and check in. As she fought to stay awake she heard the man relay her message. She held up her hand for the phone after he'd finished but he stepped back, ignoring her request. He stared at her as he listened to something Mac was saying.

"Yes sir… no, she's got a hole in her shoulder. I don't know. Per'aps she was shot. She's pretty out of it right now. I refuse to leave her with the possibility that someone is after her as we speak!"

She tried to tell him that he had to get out, had to get to safety before trouble came their way, but her tongue didn't want to move properly.

"I can get her the help she needs. My boss is pretty important around here… Mario Lemieux…"

She shook her head no, gasping at the pain. He needed to go. Mac had to understand that even a friendship wouldn't be enough to get her to safety right now.

"Mac," she yelled, "Mac you know we can't ask that of him. Tell him to get out of here!"

Blue Eyes glared at her and listened to whatever her boss was saying. He leaned down and tugged at the neck of her shirt. The material pulled at the dried blood and she hissed a breath through her teeth.

"She needs a doctor… now. I can get her out of here."

Once again he tried to move the fabric but this time he pressed against the wound itself. Tears swam in her eyes as she tried to stay conscious. If she fainted then she wouldn't be able to talk any sense into him.

"Y-you… you don't know what you're getting yourself into. Mac, I know you can hear me! Make. Him. Leave."

He took the phone from his ear and hit a button. She tried to sit up and then leaned against him as Mac's voice boomed in the silence of the kitchen.

"You listen to me Forbes. You're the last one, and if he can get you out of there, I'm letting him! I'm going to call in a favor. His boss will call him with instructions. Blue Eyes, when you get her to wherever Mario says to go, you call me back. Understand?"

"Oui. I will call you."

"Good. You hang in there Forbes. I haven't been able to get rid of you before, don't start wimping out on me now. That's an order, you got it?"

"Yes sir," she said with as much force as she could. The blackness was taking over and she could feel herself slipping.

"Good. Now I just have one question… who is this that I'm talking to?"

"Maxime Talbot of the Pittsburgh Penguins, at your service."

She fainted in his arms.

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><p><strong>Author's Note:<strong> This story is already finished and I'm going to be posting daily (hopefully) until I get it done!


	2. Chapter 02

**Author's Note:** Alright, you've met the two main characters of the story. And things are only going to get more and more complicated for them. This chapter switches to Max's POV. And I should mentioned before, but each chapter goes back and forth. So, for future reference, the odd chapters are Juliet's POV, and the even ones are Max's.  
>Now, onto Chapter 2!<p>

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><p>"Merde!"<p>

"What's wrong," the voice came through the speakerphone. He hit the button again and put the cell to his ear as he placed the woman back down onto the table.

"She's lost consciousness. We need to leave. I don't know how much blood she lost before she got here."

"Grab all her gear and get on your car. Your boss will be calling you any moment after I hang up. And please Max, call me later."

"I will."

He snapped the phone shut and ran back to the living room to get the gun. Then, after putting it, and the phone, back into her bag, he tossed it over his shoulder and picked her up in his arms once more. She didn't make a noise this time, and he realized she must really be out of it. He grabbed his keys and hurried out to his car. Placing her in the passenger seat, he buckled her in before tossing her bag in the backseat and getting behind the wheel.

He had just pulled out of the driveway when his phone rang. _MARIO_ flashed on the screen and he flipped open the phone.

"Max, I don't know what you got yourself mixed up in, but Geno's here and mumbling about some woman with a gun? Tell me you're safe!"

"Some guy named Mac hasn't called you yet?"

"Mac? No, I haven't heard from him in… hold on!"

He heard the click of being put on hold and wondered if he should start to drive or wait. If she was right and people were following her, he should go. But where was he going to be driving to? The hospital? He figured that was a safe bet and threw the car into drive, winding around the roads to get to the highway. He was about to turn onto the main road when Mario came back on the phone.

"UPMC Max. Get there. Fast as you can. When you check her in, give her your last name."

"Okay."

He hung up and switched gears again, feeling the car come to life as he swerved in and out of lanes. They made it to the hospital in record time and he carried her through the sliding doors. A nurse looked up from the front desk, took one look at the two of them, and immediately called for a gurney. He figured Mario must've warned them or something because they whisked her away and he stood there, not knowing what to do.

He sat down and pulled her phone out, dialing Mac again. He told him what was going on and asked what his wife's first name was. After learning a few more things and making plans that she probably wouldn't like, he hung up and leaned back in the uncomfortable waiting room chairs. He'd thought that losing to the Senators would mean a boring summer. Two hours later he was approached by a man in green scrubs.

"Mr. Talbot?"

"Oui?"

"Hi, I'm Dr. Jackson. Your wife went through surgery just fine. There was no serious damage done, no fragments that we had to clean out, and the tissues should heal nicely. She'll have a scar, on both sides, but she should be okay."

"Can I see her?"

"Yes. They just moved her from recovery. She should be in her own room now. Fifth floor, room two-nineteen."

Max shook the man's hand, thanked him, and hurried off toward the elevator. He punched the 'up' button repeatedly until the doors finally opened. He was practically running as he stepped off on his floor and headed over to the nurse's station to get directions. After thanking them, he turned and tried not to look to anxious. As he stepped through the doorway, he was taken aback by the way she looked.

They had cleaned her up. Her face and neck were no longer covered in dirt. There wasn't any grass or leaves stuck in her hair. He stared at her.

She was beautiful. Slightly tanned skin. A mane of dark brown hair that was no long braided. Long lashes that sat on her cheeks as she slept. He didn't even take note of the fact that there were a couple bruises and scratches on her face, or that there was an IV in her arm… she looked so peaceful.

He sat down in the chair next to her bed and gently took her hand in his. As he rubbed slow circles over her wrist, he watched her eyes fluttered open. She looked at him, vibrant green eyes staring at him with clarity, and he knew they hadn't doped her up on pain meds.

"Max," she said in a raspy voice. He stood and grabbed the glass of water that must have been waiting for her. He held it to her lips and let her drink through the straw. As her lips wrapped around the plastic he felt perverted because she looked sexy to him.

_God I need to get laid. Or get therapy._

He set the glass back on the table and she smiled up at him. He broke out into a grin as well and resumed holding her hand as he plopped back into the chair.

"You don't have to stay. I'll be okay. Did you call Mac? I can't stay here. I need to leave. Did he say if he was coming to get me? Sending in a team? What did he say?"

"Calm down mon chere. You need to just lie back and relax. No one is going to know you're even here. You aren't checked in under Juliet Forbes." He watched her eyes widen as he used her name. "As far as anyone here is concerned, you are Mariette Talbot."

"Mariette?"

"Oui. It means 'little rebel' so I thought it was rather appropriate."

She smiled at him.

"I like it. Now, no more beating around the bush. What did Mac say?"

"Well, it's like this. You need to be somewhere that these guys won't think to look. You'll wanna go after them I bet. And you can't. Not until you're healed. And you won't heal unless you're hidden from them. You'd probably go off, guns blazing, right now and get yourself killed during some revenge mission."

"You don't understand," she choked out. He could tell she was trying not to cry. But from what Mac told him, she was the last man… woman… standing out of a group of six. He'd said that they found the others. From the look of things, it had been a set-up.

"Tell me. Help me understand."

"Why are you doing this? You don't even know me."

"I want to."

"You want to know me?"

"Oui," he said at almost a whisper. It wasn't a lie. He did. He'd met her about six hours ago and he'd already volunteered to play 'babysitter' until she was healthy again. And why not? He lived in Montreal in the summers. No one would know her. No one would bother them. And he would be training, so she could work on getting her strength back as well. It was a win-win situation.

"Why? I mean, no offense… but I did hold you at gunpoint when we first met."

"No, dat was Geno. You just stared at me. And I know you feel something between us. Your pulse is jumping like crazy right now."

"Don't you have some hockey game to go play or practice for?"

"No. We were kicked out of the playoffs race. I was actually planning on heading back home for the summer. I was just spending time with my teammate before I went back to Montreal."

"Jennings was from Montreal."

He waited for her to continue, but her lips were set in a straight line and her eyes were staring at the clock on the wall behind him. He let out a breath and laced his fingers with hers.

"You need to talk about it."

"I don't want to."

"It does not matter what you want… it's what you need. You know I'm right."

"I'd like to rest right now."

Her voice was eerily calm. She didn't pull her hand away, but Max could feel her shift into a shut down mode. She was tense and pale. He sighed and patted her hand before standing.

"Well, you will have plenty of time to take me up on the offer to use me as your shoulder to cry on when we get to my house. It will help you…"

"Your house? What on earth are you talking about?"

"Mac said you need to be hidden while you're healing. And I thought... what better place to hide you than with me. We'll be out of the country. And no one knows that you and I are together."

"Did Mac put you up to this?"

"No… I volunteered."

"You… are you crazy?"

"It'll be over by the time I have to come back for training camp. You'll be safe."

"I won't be safe until every last one of them is dead."

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><p><strong>Author's Note:<strong> Yikes! Seems like Max has bitten off more than he can chew... But maybe she will warm up to him*


	3. Chapter 03

**Author's Note:** Juliet is one tough momma! But even the toughest soldier needs a quiet place to collect their thoughts. Will Max be the one she can let her guard down around?

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><p><em>This is insane. He doesn't understand. How could he? Why would Mac think this is a good idea?<em>

Max had left her about an hour ago. He was going home to finish packing the things he needed to take to Montreal… Montreal. A beautiful, old city. She'd never been there. Jennings had talked about it all the…

Tears flooded her vision as she thought about the goofy guy from the Canadian province who had been the techie of their team. It was how he'd earned the name Frenchie. He wasn't even supposed to be with them this time. But instead of him going to the temporary headquarters, he had asked just to stay with them since it was supposed to be an Intel op. Then they'd arrived at the old house and…

"I'm so sorry you guys. I should've known," she whispered as the tears fell. After the first one slid down her cheek, she couldn't stop them. Couldn't hold back the anguish and rage she felt. Her entire team, those she had been closest to, had been wiped out in a matter of seconds.

They'd swept the area, no explosives. Since Jennings had accompanied them there hadn't been a way to be completely sure that there weren't possible problems surrounding them. But her instincts hadn't gone off, nothing had seemed wrong. Only upon opening the door had she realized how costly her mistake in trusting their team leader had been.

She hit the morphine button twice and as the pain in her shoulder lessened, her sense of reality did as well. She hated the way the drugs made her feel but at the same time she relished her escape from the both types of pain.

Sleep came then. A restless state where only images of what had happened replayed in her mind. They left Frenchie in the van and entered the house. She watched Crawford go into the kitchen. She heard the pressure release of the flash bomb. The shouts of her teammates. The cries as the first one got hit. Then another, and another. He was saving her for last.

She didn't know why. She called out to see who was still with her. No reply. Escape was the only thought after that. She ran toward the entrance of the house, heard a gurgled cry as well as maniacal laughter. She couldn't stop though. Flinging back the wooden door, she sprinted toward the van, yelling for Frenchie to start the engine. But he was gone too. Blood poured from the slash across his throat.

The snap of twigs made her turn. Three guys in camouflage were canvassing the area. Before they could fire, she ran. She had no idea where she'd go, but she ran away from them, and away from the traitor… and her friends. It was at that moment that the booming voice called out.

But unlike the reality, in her dream the bullet that hit her was enough to stop her. Juliet heard them coming. Heard them standing over her, but she couldn't move. Then she heard _his_ voice. He told them to have a little fun with her, but not too much. He needed her alive and able to talk.

She didn't know what he thought she knew… what he didn't already know, but when the first hand touched her, she scrambled to try and get away. She thrashed about trying to get free of the grip. A voice, a soothing voice, told her to relax. Told her that she was safe. It sounded familiar. Why would one of these mercenaries be so kind? They were going to torture her, kill her later, toy with her now. All she wanted was to break free, to get away and…

"Juliet! Chere, wake up… Wake up!"

Opening her eyes, she stared into the blue oceans of Max's gaze. He was leaning down, his face a mask of concern. His hair fell down in his eyes. It really didn't suit him to have long hair. That, coupled with the scruffy beard, made him look sleazy. And of course, only she would find 'sleazy' attractive at this moment in time.

"What are you doing back here so soon?"

"It's been five hours."

"No more morphine drip then."

"Actually, that's why I came back."

Juliet waited for him to elaborate. He didn't. He just sat on the side of her bed.

"Are you going to explain?"

"The doctor said that when you woke up, if you felt like it… he could release you. Please don' lie to me… how do you feel?"

"Aside from the pull of the stitches, and a slight headache from my… dream… I feel as healthy as to be expected."

"And mentally?"

"Can we just go on physically right now… please?"

"Are you going to go willingly to Montreal?"

She nodded. She didn't like it. Didn't like that Mac was using this man. But Mac was the only person in the world now that she trusted completely. If this is what he wanted her to do… she could swallow her pride and make this concession.

"I don't have anything but what I was wearing and my gun."

"Mac has taken care of that. And we discussed your… weapon. I'm not thrilled, but I know that you feel the need to have that."

She didn't know how he thought she could function properly now without it. Just being here, in a hospital… she was twitching with the need to have her piece by her side. Juliet bit her lip, trying not to let the constant worry seep into her brain. It was hard to do when she knew that she was a marked woman.

The tumble down the hill that then led her to Max… that would throw them off her trail for only a short time. Especially if they tracked the blood she'd lost. They'd be able to see where she stopped for help and then…

"GENO!"

Max jumped at her sudden outburst.

"What?"

"You can't let him go back! If he does and there's any evidence that I was there… Then he could be in serious danger and then he could get hurt and I don't want that to happen again and…"

"Shhhh, it's alright Jules. Don't worry."

She wanted to laugh at him. _Don't worry._ He said it like by just murmuring the words to her, he could magically make her forget the things that had happened.

"But... these guys won't play around. I need to call Mac and get protective custody for him, and you, and… everyone! You're all risking your lives and you don't know what you're up against! Hell, I don't even know what I'm up against! But I know it's bad and if I could just get to a secure line and talk to Mac then we could probably figure something out and then I wouldn't feel like I was abandoning the memory of my fallen comr…"

She didn't get to finish the rant she was on because before her sentence was completed Max was holding her against him, his arm wrapped around her waist, while his other hand tilted her head up and his lips crashed down on hers.

For a second or two she was so stunned that she couldn't move, much less fathom why on earth he was kissing her. But then his teeth sunk into her bottom lip, nipping at it gently, and she let out a moan of satisfaction.

He took that as a sign to continue and his tongue swept into her mouth. He tasted fruity, maybe like an orange… something citrusy… and he didn't give her a moment to think about what was happening. He just kept her pressed against him as he ran his fingers through her hair, pulling lightly to keep her mouth under his as he changed his angle on the bed.

_Why are you kissing him? This is crazy! You're insane… He's insane… God he tastes delicious._

No matter what her brain was telling her, mixed signals or not, Juliet was ready to pull him down on top of her and let him have his wicked way. No man that kissed like that could be bad. But the moment she twisted to drag him down, the sharp pain in her shoulder made her yelp into his mouth. Lightening fast, Max pulled away and stood by her bedside.

"I'm sorry… that shouldn't have happened. Are you hurt?"

"N-no… Just pinched my muscle is all. It's okay."

"It's not. I didn't mean to take advantage of you. I'll... I will go get the doctor and he can see how you're doing and see if it's alright for you to leave."

He was almost to the door when she called out to him.

"Max… Max wait!"

He stopped, but he didn't turn around.

"I don't know if I've thanked you yet for saving my life. I'm sure Mac has told you repeatedly… but I just wanted you to know that I personally thank you. You don't have to do all of this though. You're uprooting your life by taking me on. I'll never be able to repay you."

He turned at that. His eyes were so bright that she thought maybe there was a light behind them, something making them glow. He marched back over to where she was sitting, propped up by the pillows. That little burst of adrenaline had zapped her strength and she felt weak not being able to sit up properly and look at him face to face.

"Let's just take it one day at a time chère."

"I'll keep you safe while I'm in your care Max."

"Yes, I'm sure you will. But while you're healing and still trying to play G.I. Jane… who do you think will be watching your back?"

Quick as a flash, he leaned down and pressed his lips to her forehead. Then he spun around and went in search of the doctor. She couldn't help the pleasure that washed over her as she let his words sink in.

Three hours later she was on a private jet, soaring through the air and wondering what she would do while he was training. It wasn't like she could leave the house. Mac had made her a set of false documents using her fake name. But she knew that going out could be bad. In essence, she would disappear. They were already reporting that everyone from the team had been taken out.

For once she was glad that she had no family. No one to mourn a loss that didn't happen. Just Gramps. And Mac had promised to fill him in and take care of him.

Looking up, she caught Max's intense stare. He wanted her to talk about it. To talk about the things that had gone down the day before. If she was back on base, the military shrink would be asking her all the same questions. It would be clinical. It would be cold. Max would be gentle. She couldn't handle gentle right now, maybe never.

Finally breaking his gaze, she moved gingerly and attempted to relax and sleep for the final thirty minutes. It worked out perfectly. Until she was woken once again by Max because she was crying out and tears were pouring down her face.

"Let me help you," he whispered.

She wanted to. But she figured it would be a long time until the nightmare went away, and before she was able to utter any words about it.

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><p><strong>Author's Note:<strong> What do you think of their situation? Would love to hear your thoughts!


	4. Chapter 04

**Author's Note:** I just want to point out that I would gladly let Max Talbot play my protector*

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><p>Max stared out the window of the plane as they touched down.<p>

_Why did you kiss her? What good did that do? Now you have to live with her, not touch her, not think about how she felt against you… fuck!_

This summer was going to be torture.

He figured he could get her into his bed without too much of a hassle, but he couldn't use her like that. It wasn't right. And no matter how good she tasted, no matter how much he wanted to feel her lips on the rest of his body… with what she'd been through, seducing her was not on the top of the list of things that he should be doing with her.

No, he should be helping her. Physical therapy, emotional therapy, making her smile. Making those nightmares stop. That was the first thing he hoped to do because that was the second time he'd been there to wake her from whatever dreams plagued her. He wanted the horrific images to erase from her brain.

Helping Juliet from the descending staircase, he led her into the back of a sedan and nodded to the guys that placed their suitcases in the trunk. Well… _his_ suitcases. Tomorrow he'd go shopping and get her something to wear other than a Pens t-shirt and sweatpants that were entirely too big for her. It did give him a little roll of satisfaction that she was wearing his clothes instead of the scrubs that the hospital had given to her.

"So… do you live with your parents when you're here?"

It was the first time she'd said anything to him since he'd gently woken her from the darkness that seemed to want to swallow her whole.

"Non. I have my own place. It's not far from them, but it's enough for now. I definitely need my privacy and independence. Juniors, the minors and now the NHL have made me crave that bit of 'me' time."

The drive to his house didn't take as long as he thought. Either there was no traffic or he just wasn't paying any attention. If he had to choose, he'd guess it was the latter option. There was always traffic. He watched her as she stared out the window. She sighed and spoke, still looking out the window.

"I'm still sorry that you feel like you have to do this. I'll be stealing your 'me' time."

"I don't feel… obli… oblique… obligated?"

"But I…"

"Would you like to see some of the city while you're here?"

Max decided that he wasn't going to let her try and make him feel bad for offering to do this. He really wanted to help her, and learn all about her. Try and figure out what made her want to do this for a living. What her family thought about it?

"Am I allowed to leave the house a lot?"

"Well, not a lot. But you can't just pretend like you don't exist."

"That's what Mac did though. They made it seem like everyone was dead."

"No… they just didn't report that anyone had survived. But no one expect for you and that other guy, and Mac, know the truth. So you can pretend to be my cousin or something. You don't have to be my wife. That would be a lot to explain to my family. But around my friends, just be a visiting cousin. I'll tell my parents and my brothers a fairly true story to cover our tracks if they come over while you're here."

"This is precisely why I didn't want to involve you."

"Too late. I am involved."

"You're masochistic."

"No I'm… Well, maybe I am. Now, here's what I was thinking."

He outlined his plan. They would get settled into his place tonight, maybe just order some take-out since he probably didn't have any food in his house. And they could make a shopping list, multiple lists really, and go out the next day for clothes, necessities and food.

When they pulled up to the house he paid the driver, put his bags upstairs and came back down, falling onto the couch. He patted the cushion next to him and was pleased when Juliet came over and plopped down beside him. He phone buzzed and he looked at the screen, _FLEUR_, and made a note to text him later tonight.

He had already planned on letting his teammate know what was going on. Well, not everything. But he knew that he could trust Marc-Andre not to blab about him having some strange woman at his place. And Marc's girlfriend Veronique was literally the nicest person ever. She could make you fall in love with her in a heartbeat, and she would be a great companion for Juliet.

"We'll have dinner with Marc-Andre and Vero tomorrow night, okay?"

"Who are they?"

She sounded so suspicious. He wanted to tell her that not everyone had a hidden agenda. Not everyone was out to kill her. But she would learn quickly enough that these two people would be trustworthy.

"Marc is the goalie for the Pens. He's a great friend, and a great guy. And his girlfriend will definitely be a blessing for you. She's amazing and it will give you someone to hang out with when Marc and I go off for training."

"O-okay… Max… never mind."

"What is it?"

"It's nothing… don't worry about it."

"Juliet… it's mostly going to be the two of us. Day in, day out. We have to be able to communicate."

"You kissed me."

That was not where he thought she was going to go right now. He had no explanation for it. Nothing other than the fact that she had looked so beautiful and helpless and his weak mind had made him lean forward to stop her incessant rambling. And then she had moaned against his lips. What man could stop from tasting her after that?

But he wouldn't act on it. He was strong, he could control himself.

"Max?"

"I didn't mean to do that."

"You said that before. I think you did though."

He turned an incredulous face toward her and realized that she was sitting a lot closer than she had been before. She was almost on top of him actually.

_What is she doing?_

"I think you kissed me because you felt that little spark when we first met. You felt the same thing I did."

"You had a gun. The only thing I was feeling at the moment was the urge to shit myself."

Instead of backing away, getting indignant like he expected her to, Juliet just chuckled and sidled up against him. She slipped her left leg over his lap, using her good arm to stabilize herself, and then she was staring at him. He swallowed audibly.

"Juliet, this isn't smart. This isn't what you want."

"Oh… I want this. Trust me."

"Okay, maybe you want this now. But it's wrong. You need to take time to relax and grieve."

She needed to get the hell off his lap before he picked her up and carried her to his bed.

_Focus Maxime. Be a good man. Take her to her room._

"I need to forget everything. Help me forget. Help me make it through the night. Even if it's just this night."

Her hand came up, stroking his cheek, igniting a slow burn in his chest. The simplest touch set him on fire.

_You can do this. Just take her upstairs, and then walk away._

"What you need is to get a good night's sleep. Come, I will take you upstairs."

Before she could disagree or come up with something else that would try his patience, and his will, Max twisted her as gently as possible and wrapped her up in his arms. Standing, he ignored the comfortable feel of her arm around his neck and her fingers twirling in the hair at the base of his skull. She curled into him and he listened to her sigh as she breathed him in.

"Stop that Juliet."

"Stop what?"

"It cannot happen."

"Why?"

"I'm supposed to be taking care of you."

"And sex doesn't fall under that category?"

He snorted and started up the steps. On the second floor he had two options. He could turn left and take her into the room that she would be staying in while she was with him… or he could turn right and love her six ways from Sunday and complicate this all the way to Hell and back. She shifted slightly and Max looked down to ask her if she was uncomfortable. Her eyes were closed.

_Thank goodness. Now I don't have to decide._

He stepped into her room and walked over to the bed. Placing her gently onto the mattress, he pulled the afghan from the chair near the bed and laid it over her body. She sighed and a small smile played on her lips. His heart clenched and he had to force himself to walk away after covering her. Leaning down, he pressed a kiss to her forehead.

"Bonne nuit ma chère," Max whispered against her skin.

He slid quietly from her room and pulled the door around, leaving it cracked in case she needed something in the middle of the night. Fifteen minutes later he was in his bathroom, getting ready for bed, when he heard her cry out.

Not stopping to think, he dropped his toothbrush and spit into the sink before booking it across the hallway and into the semi-darkness. He knew his house well, even though he wasn't there that often. He side-stepped the desk and hurried to the side of the bed where Juliet's voice cracked as she cried out 'No Frenchie Nooo!' and her arms flailed as if she were lashing out at something or someone.

"Réveillez-vous Juliet! C'mon, come back to me! Wake up!"

She jerked once more in his arms and then her eyes opened. She instantly wrapped her arms around him and pressed her tear-stained face into the crook of his neck.

"Please don't leave me," she whispered as her body shook with silent sobs.

"I won't… I won't."

Max started to tuck her back on the bed but she refused to let him go. He reached up and unclasped her hands, speaking softly and promising to come right back. He jogged into his bathroom and grabbed his shirt. It was one thing to torture himself in bed with her… it was another thing altogether to lie next to her in nothing but sweatpants.

When he got back to the room, he turned on her bathroom light and pulled the door almost shut, noticing that she had maneuvered herself under the blankets. Then he stood at the edge of the bed, warring in his mind over whether or not he could, and should, crawl in there with her. He'd almost made up his mind to just sprawl out in the chair when she turned over and patted the mattress.

"Come to bed. I promise not to attack you," Juliet joked.

Max chuckled and pulled the blankets back, settling in beside her. She was propped on her side, facing him, and biting her lip. He told her to go to bed and then flipped over, facing away from her.

_Maybe if I don't look at her, don't touch her, I'll forget she's right here._

It worked. Until morning.

Then he woke up with his hand groping her breast, his leg thrown over her calf in a possessive way, morning wood pressed against her ass and no idea on how to move without waking her up and embarrassing himself. He'd just lifted his leg when she snuggled herself against him. He held his breath, praying that she stayed asleep. When she gasped, he knew he was found out.

"I know you're awake Max."

_Shit._

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><p><strong>Author's Note<strong>:Look at Max being a good guy and all chivalrous and... Uh-oh, will he give in now if she asks him?


	5. Chapter 05

**Author's Note:** I don't know how many of people out there are reading this. But to those who are, I hope you're enjoying the suspense and beginnings of a possible romance! Onto Chapter 5!

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><p>Juliet sat down at the table and watched as Vero slid the cup of coffee between both her hands. Finally she looked up.<p>

"And so whenever you have a nightmare, Max comes in and holds you until you fall asleep?"

"Yep."

"But then he leaves before you wake up?"

"Uh-huh."

"And ne never tries anything with you?"

"No!"

"Weird… but you want him to?"

"BADLY! And I had to tell someone about this before I completely lose my mind!"

Two weeks ago, after she'd woken up to find Max behind her, his hardness pressed against her backside, she'd been having extremely naughty thoughts about her 'caretaker.' He hadn't shown any evidence though, aside from that morning, that he wanted to have anything to do with her. Other than being friends. And he was wonderful to spend time with. But she couldn't get the ideas to stop popping into her head. It also didn't help that he was literally like the only person in her life right now. Thank goodness she'd met Marc-Andre and Veronique. The woman was a godsend.

"So… why don' you just go for it? What holds you back?"

And there was the crux of the problem with Juliet's relationship with the beautiful and extremely friendly Frenchie who'd become one of her confidants. Vero didn't know the truth. Didn't know who she was. It wasn't that she couldn't be trusted, Max just made the comment that the less people who knew… the better off they all were.

He was right. It would be better if people didn't know the whole story. It would make it easier in the end. Easier when she left.

But she didn't want to leave. She didn't even want to think of that. Mac had been in touch a couple times. It had been yesterday afternoon actually that he'd phoned to say that they had rounded up the 'minor players' and were just waiting for the 'big fish' to bite. Once they were all behind bars… or dead… she'd have no real reason to stay.

"Earth to Juliet... Jules?"

"I'm sorry V… just caught up in something that seems like it was already a lifetime ago."

Glancing at her friend, she laughed at the expression on Vero's face. It was a cross between a smile and a frown. She didn't even know that face was possible to make. They both laughed then, and Juliet rubbed her shoulder through her shirt. She didn't feel pain anymore. And she was doing therapy on it daily, getting it back to the strength she'd had before the bullet.

"Come back to the present crazy. We have to figure out how to get you and Max together."

"It's not that easy. There are… complications... things that would make us doing the 'horizontal mambo' a bad idea."

"The same 'complications' that had me calling you Mariette for three days?"

Juliet apologized again for the mix-up. She still believed it was Max's fault. He hadn't realized that Vero was over and he'd come home and just yelled for her by her real name. That cat had been let out of the bag. But the rest… she wouldn't jeopardize anyone else's well being by getting them mixed up in this crisis. Maybe once this was all over… maybe then she could try and explain everything.

"JULIET!"

"Sorry, sorry… yes, those complications. And no, I won't bore you with the details."

Thankfully Vero let the issue drop for now. Juliet knew it wouldn't go away forever, but for now her friend focus on this match-making idea that she'd concocted. They were sitting in the kitchen, talking and laughing about Max and Marc when the door burst open.

On a reflex, Juliet grabbed Vero and hauled her to the floor while simultaneously reaching for her gun that was tucked in the back of her pants.

"Juliet? Vero? Are you guys here? Guess where we're going to dinner tonight?"

She cursed under her breath and looked over, praying that Vero hadn't noticed the loaded weapon in her hand. Seeing the wide-eyed stare and open mouth…

_Dammit._

Standing quickly, Juliet slid her gun back into place as she glared at Max. He knew better than to do anything like that. Surprises and shocks were not a good thing while she was on the mend. How would she explain this one?

"Hello Max," she said through her teeth. "What a lovely surprise..."

If he couldn't hear the sarcasm in her voice… she had a mind to pull the gun back out and shoot him just for the hell of it.

"What were you doing on the floor? Where's Vero?"

"I am here," came the surprisingly strong voice of her tiny friend.

V stood and straightened her clothes. Then she pulled her hair back, tying it up into a bun before staring at Juliet. Her eyes moved from her to Max and back a few times.

"Listen V, I can explain..."

Vero just waved her hand in dismissal before closing her eyes. She was nodding and shaking her head, using her hands as though she was taking pieces of information and putting them up on an invisible board in front of her. Suddenly her eyes flew open and she practically beamed.

"You are the soldier girl!"

"I'm the what?"

"You are. You're the one he told Marc about! The gun-toting girl that he wants to…"

Jules watched her throw a hand over her mouth to stop whatever had almost come out. It was her turn to flick between two people, a smiling Vero and a clearly unhappy Max who was glaring at the wall.

"The one he wants to… what?"

Her friend just shook her head and rapidly produced her phone from her pocket. A phone that was definitely not ringing.

"Allo? Oh hi Marc-Andre! Yes, I will come home now. I was just getting ready to leave actually! See you soon! Bye."

"V…"

"Would you look at the time…"

"Vero…"

"…so I should really head out…"

"VERONIQUE!"

Vero turned on her and shook a finger in her face before taking a deep breath.

"I can't believe you didn't tell me who you were. Such a shame to hold things from people. If I didn't have to leave right now then we would definitely talk about this. Well, I must be off! Let me know about this dinner Max! Bye!"

And then she was out the door before Juliet could open her mouth again to yell. So she turned to the only other person in the room.

"Max…"

He had that deer in the headlights look and she wanted to get him talking before he bolted for the stairs. They were staring at one another, separated by the kitchen island, and she placed her hands on the cool, metal sink.

"What did she mean Max? And how does she know about me… the real me?"

She was desperate for answers. Why had he told them about who she was? And did he want her as badly as she wanted him? She'd leap over the counter if that was the case. All he had to do was say jump and she'd be in his arms in a heartbeat.

"It is nothing."

"Don't lie to me Maxime. You told me before, we needed to be able to talk to one another… start talking."

She didn't think he would at first. He dropped his head and stared at the floor for a moment. When he looked up once more Juliet gasped at what she saw. The undisguised lust that was present in his eyes made her panties disintegrate instantly. The room closed in immensely, her heart started beating triple time.

"Can you read my expression chère?"

"Yes… I've never seen that look though."

"Because I hide it from you. I don't let you see it because it would be my undoing. I've never wanted someone so bad in my entire life."

"Then why don't you…"

"If something were to happen to you… every morning I wake up and I wonder if today is the day that Mac calls and says you're safe. If it will be the day that you leave me."

"Max…"

"No, let me finish. You wanted to hear it… when you have a nightmare, I almost fell giddy because that means that I can come be the hero for a moment. I can be the strong protector and hold you and keep the monsters away. But I always leave before you wake up so I don't embarrass either of us again like I did that first morning. But it gets harder and harder each day not to just stay there with you all wrapped up in my arms. I want to be there when you open your eyes. I want to be there when you fall asleep actually."

Juliet stared at him. She didn't know what else to do. He was standing here, telling her that he wanted to be her knight in shining armor, and she had been under the impression that he was only interested in her platonically.

"Jules… Juliet… please, say something."

"I… Max, I didn't know… I'm sorry…"

"No, I get it."

He skirted around the island and started toward the stairs and away from her. Making a split decision, she took a deep breath and chased after him. She was almost on top of him when he turned around.

"You know what? I don't understand actu.. Ooffff!"

They fell together to the floor. Max had his arms wrapped around her, hugging her to him and taking the brunt of the fall. His hands were splayed across her back and both of hers were out like she was going to do push-ups, her fingers on either side of his head. She stared at his eyes. He was staring at her mouth.

"Max I…"

He lifted his head, his lips connecting her hers.

The spark she'd felt the night he kissed her to shut her up, it was back. That, combined with his tongue sweeping along her bottom lip, took her breath away. He tasted like popcorn… she dragged her mouth away.

"You and Marc went to the movies instead of training, didn't you?"

Max just laughed and hauled her down for another kiss. She smiled as his one hand traced the bare skin that was visible now that her shirt had ridden up some. Juliet pressed herself against him, her body trying to mold itself against his.

"Are you sure about this Jules?"

"Completely. I just have one question."

"What?"

"Your bed, or mine?"

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><p><strong>Author's note:<strong> I've written other stories that have Veronique in them, and no matter what the situation is, I always have her being light-hearted and talkative. I don't know if she's really like this, but I've got to believe that with Marc-Andre Fleury as her boyfriend (now fiancee), she must be a trip to be around.*


	6. Chapter 06

**Author's Note:** I like knowing that there are a few people out there reading this! Comments are very appreciated!

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><p><em>Why did you ask her if she was sure? Why would you jinx your chance?<em>

Max smacked himself internally as Juliet lay on top of him, in the hallway that led to his living room. Her hair was falling down, covering his face and tickling his neck. He dug his fingers into her back, massaging her muscles and listening to her moan of appreciation as she arched against him.

"Upstairs. Now."

"Yes Ma'am," he chuckled as she pushed up and held a hand out to him. He adjusted himself for the climb and then pushed her up each step before pulling her into his room. Now she was the one laughing and he grabbed her shirt, tugging it up over her stomach. As he lifted it higher and higher his vision clouded over. In the years he'd been pleasing women, he'd never wanted someone so bad.

The back of his hand grazed her breast and he heard her gasp. He finished pulling up the shirt and then dropped it at their feet. Her bra was a deep crimson red with small yellow flowers embroidered in swirling patterns over the cups. Max slid his hands behind her back and quickly flicked the clasps open and drawing the straps down over her shoulders and arms.

When the satin fell to the floor and Max let his eyes feast on her bare breasts for the first time… he groaned in surrender and bent down, burying his face between them. She smelled like vanilla and tasted just as good. His tongue traveled along her skin from one breast to the other before he sucked the tip of one between his lips.

"Oh fuck," he heard her murmur and he teased her, his fingers pulling on the other nipple as he nipped at her.

Juliet slid her fingers through his hair, and forced him to switch his ministrations to her other breast. She shuddered as his teeth bit down on the sensitized flesh. He pushed her backward as he continued his torment and when he knew she was against the bed he released her nipple and shoved her onto the mattress.

She let out a tiny squeak as she bounced and he was distracted by those perfect globes rolling around as she wiggled into a sitting position, leaning up on her elbows and licking her lips. The look on her face was almost predatory and something within him snapped. He growled as he dove onto the bed with her, crawling quickly up her body and smothering her with another kiss.

She made little noises as the material of his shirt pressed and rubbed against her chest with every twist. Max left a path of kisses over her cheek and down her neck, whispering in French all the things he wanted to do to her. And how many times he wanted to do them. He nipped her pulse point, feeling it jump under his teeth.

And as he moved over more of her, he pressed a feather light kiss to the puckered skin on her shoulder where the doctors had done their best to leave a minimal scar. He flicked his tongue out and traced the small ridges that made up the three centimeter line.

"Je suis désolé bébé. Je vais vous protéger. Je vous promets."

He wasn't sure if she knew what he was saying but he would protect her... and it was a promise.

He didn't really know that much about her. They'd known one another for two weeks and he didn't know if she had a huge family that was mourning what they thought was the loss of their daughter, sister, cousin and or niece. Perhaps she was an orphan. He didn't know. And right now, the only thing that could keep him from claiming this woman as his would be if men burst through the door with guns to finish the job they'd started encountered.

_Fuck, that might not even stop me._

Lifting his body up some Max brought one hand down and snaked it beneath her jeans. He blinked when he encountered nothing but heat.

"You go commando?"

"Well… I kind of _am_ a commando."

He laughed and when Juliet started to laugh with him he slipped one finger inside her, his palm resting on top of her mound. She stopped laughing and threw her head to the side as she hissed a breath out quickly through her teeth. He worked the digit in and out quickly, pressing his hand down as he drew one nipple between his lips again.

She cried out his name between gasps of air and each breath jerked her chest. He was about to twirl her other nipple in his fingers of his free hand when he noticed her own fingers already tugging and twisting the hardened tip.

"Max… More… Now…"

"Oui... Much, much more."

Moving his body from her he peeled her jeans down, smiling as she kicked out of them and almost clocked him in the head. As she settled herself in the middle of his bed, he whipped his shirt over his head and tried to figure out the fastest way to get his pants off. He finally opted for standing and shoving everything down. When he looked up to crawl back into bed with her, Max noticed Juliet's eyes.

"Like what you see chérie?"

She licked her lips and Max groaned. Rolling slightly when his knee pressed into the mattress, Juliet opened herself to him and pulled him down. As he stretched out on top of her he felt her legs come up, circling his waist as she rolled her hips beneath him, pressing herself against his body.

His dick felt like a heat-seeking missile. Any other woman and he would've had to reach down to guide himself inside, but as her hips moved, he slipped between her folds. And then he sunk in completely, not stopping until he could feel every inch fully encased in her dripping center. Her fingers dug into his shoulders, her legs tightened around his waist and she bit her lip as her head turned to the side.

Max smoothed her hair back and used his hand to turn her face back to his so he could claim her lips. Then, prying her hands off one by one, he pulled them up over her head and with their fingers entwined, he started thrusting slowly. She met him at each stroke, her body moving with his and her nails biting into the top of his hand every few seconds.

"Keep your hands up there," he said in a gruff voice. She nodded and when he released her fingers he watched her wrap them around one of the bars on his headboard. She was stretched out beneath him now, her chest pushing up at him and teasing him. Giving in, his mouth found a breast and latched on, sucking her nipple past his lips again.

With his hands free now, Max tapped at her legs and as she spread them for him, he smiled against her flesh and brought them up. Then he pushed against her thighs as he came up on his knees. When he lifted each knee over his shoulders and dug his fingers into her hips, he watched the blissful look spread across her face as he dipped back inside of her.

"Max, Max, Max," she moaned. He smiled and gave her three punishing thrusts, listening to the hitch in her breath and how her cries got sharper and louder. They gave and took, feeding off the other's movements. She molded her body against his no matter what position he shifted into, as if they were floating together in water.

"Juliet, I want to feel it, I want to feel you come for me."

His words brought a tightening of her muscles. Squeezing his eyes shut, Max held himself from ending things before he got to watch her fall apart. Juliet's hand cupped his cheek, her fingers turning his head until her lips were pressed against his. He kissed her as his hips rocked against hers and he could feel the tension that was building within her hit it's breaking point.

As her head flipped back in a silent scream, Max held her tight against him, his body wrapped in her embrace. He could feel the flutter of her muscles and he buried his face in the crook of her neck as he came with her. When it was all over he grabbed the extra afghan from the foot of the bed and pulled it over them both as he enveloped her more fully in his arms, their bodies still connected intimately.

"We have things to do," Juliet yawned. He just smiled and tucked her head into his arm, watching her sigh as he combed through her hair with his fingers.

"We have nothing to do."

"You came running in the house about something."

"Just a place for dinner. It's only one thirty. We can take a nap."

"You should set an alarm or something…"

Max figured there was more she wanted to say but her eye were closed and her breathing was even. He hadn't expected her to be that worn out from one round. Then again, with all the time they'd spent together, she really hadn't done a lot to strengthen herself back up to the way she'd been before she was shot.

He still came in on those nights when he heard her thrashing around in bed. He'd actually become accustomed to wearing clothes to bed now so that when he woke up he didn't have to take extra time to throw on shorts and he could spend more time in the room with her.

_You're hopeless Talbot, hopeless._

But he felt something for her… this woman who had entered his life in a most memorable way. He still wanted to get her to talk about what happened. Maybe… maybe now that they had slept together she would feel comfortable enough with him. It was worth a shot to try and get her to open up about _something_ instead of just the daily 'How are you feeling today?' 'Good.' routine they had going on right now.

Deciding he would wait until they woke up, Max cinched an arm around her waist and breathed in the smell of her hair as he drifted to sleep. When he woke up a couple of hours later, he reached for Juliet, half afraid that she wsn't going to be there. But his fingers slid over an expanse of bare skin and he chuckled as she growled at him.

"It's about time you woke up. I was just about to molest you in your sleep."

"Feel free to do that anytime you want. I would gladly wake up that way!"

He opened his eyes finally to find her smiling impishly at him. With a grunt he tugged her by the arm and pulled her beneath him, starting the love-making process all over again. This time however, he made her come more than once before he finally succumbed to the pleasure of being inside her. And afterwards, when they were lying all tangled up together and Juliet was tracing small patterns on his chest, Max asked his question.

"Will you talk about that day, with me?"

He expected her to deny his request, to bring that composed mask over her face and turn away. He would've even let her go if she had gotten up to leave the bed. But instead of doing anything like that she took a deep breath and blew it out, flipping up the hair around her face. Then she snuggled close to him, slipping her fingers in his.

"It was supposed to be a simple snatch-and-grab… and it turned into a massacre."

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><p><strong>Author's Note:<strong> The next chapter is emotional for her. Did you like this one?*


	7. Chapter 07

**Author's Note:** I couldn't wait! I know I've missed a couple daily updates, so I wanted to spoil ya'll! Halfway through the story* Just wanted to let ya'll know!

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><p><em>I don't want to talk about this. I don't want you to hear all of the details.<em>

Even as she processed the thought Juliet knew that sooner or later she was going to be sitting with an on-base shrink and if she could get through it now, with Max, maybe when the time finally came she would be about to talk about it with a more professional attitude. An attitude that spoke of the courage and strength she no longer felt she had.

"It was supposed to be a simple snatch-and-grab… and it turned into a massacre," she told him.

Max was rubbing her thumb with his, back and forth, back and forth. It was soothing and methodical. As she focused on the motion her mind drifted back. She closed her eyes and started from the beginning.

"I lived with my grandfather for what seems like my entire life. My parents were both killed in a car crash when I was eleven. No siblings, no aunts and uncles on either side. It's been me and Gramps for the past ten years. I've grown up with the stories of his tours during World War Two, we've visited most American battle sites from the Civil War on up, and been to a few places that held personal meaning to him overseas. Ever since I can remember, I've wanted to go into the military."

"And what happened to your granddad? Is he… is he still alive?"

"Yes. I'm sure the initial news would've hit him very hard if Mac hadn't made the call to him as soon as he got off the phone with you. His grandfather and mine served together. We've known one another all our lives it seems."

"So he knows you aren't dead."

"Right. He knows that I'll contact him when I can. Until then, the only way he would hear from me would be through Mac… who I need to contact tomorrow, don't let me forget."

"I won't. So, you joined right after high school?"

Juliet nodded. She wouldn't bore him with all of the details. Maybe another day she would tell him about Parris Island, all that training, The Crucible. Hardest test she'd ever had to take in her entire life. Not to mention, the most dangerous. But that, coupled with all of those long talks over dinner about strategies and such with Gramps had prepared her for that first tour of Iraq.

Initially she'd been in a unit that was set in one of the calmer bases. The most action they saw was when one of the guys would come running out of his bunk because he forgot to check his boot for a scorpion. But, like any other war zone… no place was safe from IED's or enemy fire. Not completely. And five months into an eight month tour, they found that out.

"Yeah, graduated from my hometown in May, shipped off to Parris Island at the beginning of June. Did all of my training and graduated in October of 2004. Two weeks of leave time and five more weeks of training and I shipped out for an eight month tour in Iraq. Came home in _eleven_ months with battle scars, visible and hidden. I was a wreck for the first week or two. Every noise made me jump. I woke up screaming in the middle of the night. Kind of similar to this situation. But worse, if you can imagine that."

"I can," he whispered.

Juliet tore her gaze from their hands and looked up into his eyes. It was like watching the tides roll in off the coast of Bora Bora. That had been a rather _interesting_ mission. Posing as Mac's wife. She'd given a performance of a lifetime. By the end, even she'd considered herself his. Sure, nothing had ever happened… nothing that they didn't both want, but when they got back to reality… Mac wasn't suited for her. Not really. They were too much alike to ever make a real go at a relationship.

Plus, Mac had been injured in a one-on-one fight toward the end of the mission. He was moved into the supervisor position and supervisory fraternization was a no-no. Then they had been given a new teammate. One that had never fully sat well with her.

"Where'd you go just now? You're a million miles away."

She tried to beat around the bush, use a different tactic to get him to stop his line of questions.

"Has anyone ever told you that looking into your eyes is like standing on a cliff? They're so blue, it's like you could take that single step, towards the bluest oceans, and just let go. I could just let myself fall into you. And that scares me Max. Because you don't know me. I've done things in my past that…"

"It's your past. It made you who you are today."

"I've killed people."

She expected him to cringe, to let go of her, to get out of the bed and walk out of the room. But he didn't. He just held her even tighter and rocked her as the dam let loose and the tears started to fall.

"I kind of figured that. You do seem to know your way around a gun. And someday, if you want to, you can tell me more. But stop drawing it out Juliet. Tell me what happened that day."

As she cried she told him everything. It all just came pouring out. The training in South Carolina, the final three day 'operation' to become a Marine. The different missions she'd been on… even the Mac history. He'd hugged her close at that, promising to learn to fight so that if Mac ever came askingfor another chance, he'd have to go through him first.

She chuckled and cleared her throat, steadying herself for the finale of her story. Wiping her eyes with her palms, she went back to holding his hand while she got ready to relive one of the most painful days of her entire life. She closed her eyes amd tried to be objective instead of breaking down again.

"Okay. My team was sent in to pick up a… package. A human package. There was a small boy, an admiral's son, being held by a small terrorist cell."

"In Pittsburgh?"

"You'd be amazed at the places they hide. It's not always 'Hey let's hide in the nation's capital!' type of situation. That's television and movies. Anyways… our task was to get in, get him out, and get home safe. It was pretty routine actually. We'd done this multiple times, never had a problem."

"But this time they were sneakier?"

"No, not sneakier. This time they had a man on the inside. He was giving them our intel, playing us. Working for the military but selling all the secrets he could. I should've known something was wrong. I felt like it was… different or something. I had told Mac about my suspicions. He asked me to kep an eye out for anything that seemed… off."

"Who's idea had it been to go straight to the meeting place?"

"It wasn't a meeting place actually. It was the hideout. But we had been told, by our newest member, that they were at a different spot."

"Why would they be in a different place, other than the hideout?"

"It throws you off. Keeps you guessing. If they have more than one place to stay, then it's more difficult to keep tabs on them at all times. So when he said it was safe, no one questioned it. And that's why we allowed Frenchie to stay with us."

"How many members were there on your team?"

"Including me? There were six of us. Three male, three female. Oh, and Mac. I'd worked with them so many times… I trusted them completey, and they trusted me with their lives… and I let them down."

"I don't believe that. And I bet they wouldn't either. What would've happen if you had stayed? You'd be dead too. What good would it have done for you to die as well?"

"At least I would've been with them still. I just left their bodies there. I didn't go back to see if maybe one of them was still alive or anything!"

"From what I can tell, you went into survival mode. And none of them, knowing you the way they did, would condone you for the choices you made. The only one doing that, is you. You didn't lie to the team. You didn't set them up. You didn't… you didn't kill them. He did. And the other guys with the guns. You. Are. A. Victim."

"But I should've died! I was the second in command. When Rupert turned on us, that put me in charge of everyone. All four of their deaths are on me."

"Non! You could not have stopped it. Do not do this. Do not blame yourself for something you could not have changed."

She knew that his words were true. They were the first words that Mac had said to her when he entered her hospital room. It was hard not to take it personally though, so hard not to want to take the blame for everything. Deep down, she knew that they wouldn't hold her at fault for what happened. But… it was still there.

"Tell me about them, your teammates. We'll come back to the… _incident_… later."

"They were great. Each and every one of them."

"Were you closest to one in particular? One of the other women?"

"Actually, I was closer to the guys. Always had more friends of the opposite sex growing up."

"Oh, lots of boyfriends too?"

Juliet bit back a smile at the note of jealousy in his voice. Max was cute. He tried to play the big, bad hockey player role… but he was a softie. She reached up and twirled some of his hair around her finger.

_He really needs a haircut. Just think about what he's look like with short, styled hair. Goodbye panties._

"Is the silence your way of telling me it's not my business? Or are you trying to remember all of the past boyfriends?"

"If you count my 'relationship' with Mac… I've had three _boyfriends_ since I started dating."

"Okay. That is not a lot. Back to your story, s'il vous plaît."

"Well, being that my name is Juliet, and Mac's _sense of humor_, I was nicknamed 'Bard'… after William Shakespeare. It wasn't bad… at least he didn't go with Desdemona or Ophelia."

Max chuckled and she glared at him.

"Sorry, sorry."

"Sure… anyways… when the team was first set up, and they brought us all into the room, one of the guys couldn't stop staring at me. I'm not trying to sound cocky or something, he just wouldn't. I guess it was my natural good looks combined with desert camo… but he looked like an idiot and Mac laughed and chirped 'Hey Romeo, close your mouth before the drool spills out!' and it just stuck."

"Did Mac give all of you your names?"

"No, I gave out one. But it was kind of an assumed rule that Mac did. He was the leader."

"Until the 'bad guy battle' that left him wounded?"

"Right. So, Christian was dubbed 'Romeo' and he and I were pretty close. I mean, I was close to all of them, considering the time we spent together… but he was our explosives expert, I was the strategist… we were always in cahoots."

She smiled, remembering the training day when she and Christian set off a stink bomb in Mac's bunk. It was worth the three days leave that they had rescinded. Especially when the rest of the team came back early with food poisoning. Max was staring at her as she giggled to herself so she told him the story. By the time she was finished he was laughing as well.

"And did Mac have a nickname?"

"Nope. Mac is short for his last name, MacDonald. I've never, except once when he was with my grandpa, heard anyone call him by his first name, Luke. It was always Mac, or Sir."

"Alright, so we've covered the three of you. That leaves two other women, the man in the van, and the… the other one."

"The other women, they were sweethearts. We were all trained in simple first aid, but we had a medic as well. Doc… she has a little boy back home, four years old… His name's Jack. Her husband works from home, he's a nice man. When this is all over I need to go see him."

"I would go with you."

"Thank you Max," she told him quietly.

He kissed her forehead.

"The other woman was our translator. Ramona Jones. I swear, she could speak more languages than I could name. When Mac was thinking of names, he asked her what her favorite past time was. She got real sarcastic and smarted off 'Oh, I just love to sit and look up at the stars… when I'm out hunting… wild boar… in the jungle.' We all laughed but Mac just smiled, wrote down on a scrap of paper and threw it at her."

"What was it?"

"Two choices for her name. One was male, one was female. He let her decide. She scribbled out one and crumpled the paper back up before chucking it at his head. He nodded and folded the paper up, put it in his pocket, and the next day she had a badge for the inside of her hats that said 'Orion.' I never did find out what the other choice was."

"Athena."

"What?"

"It was probably Athena. She was the goddess of The Hunt in Greek mythology. Orion was a hunter in the same mythology. I don't believe he was a god though. Just a hunter. It probably appealed to her more."

"Makes sense, she wouldn't have wanted to be dubbed a 'goddess' anymore than me or Doc."

"Did she have a family?"

"Boyfriend right off base. And a big family back home. I was the hold out among the women. None of the guys had significant others… that I knew of. They just had fun."

"And you went out and had fun with them."

"I most certainly did!"

They both laughed at that and before she could think about not going out with them anymore, Max was moving her right along.

"Was the man in the van, your electronics whiz… he was the one you named?"

"Yes… Frenchie. He was originally from here, from Montreal. Moved to the States, applied for citizenship. Got approved and joined us. That accent of his could hold me captivated for hours. It seemed like an appropriate name. And he would lay it on extra thick when we were 'out on the town.' I'd take bets with Romeo on how many women he could get phone numbers from in one night."

"They sound like they were a great group of people to have as an adopted family."

"They were the best. The only one who never fit in… I should've talked to Mac about my suspicions. But I had nothing concrete. Just… that gut feeling you get, when something just seems off."

"And what was his code name? Did Mac name him?"

"No, he came in from another team. A more… no-nonsense, get things done quickly no matter the collateral damage, or death count, team. His codename was perfect, because he sure put a spell over us, kept us in the dark."

"What was his name?"

"I've taken to calling him Benedict Arnold. His real name? Rupert Crawford. His codename… Warlock."

* * *

><p><strong>Author's Note:<strong> I thought that maybe you'd like a list of the names and jobs*

Team members:  
>Juliet Forbes, The Bard, Strategist<br>Rupert Crawford, Warlock(Benedict Arnold), Team leader  
>Noah Jennings, Frenchie, Electronics<br>Claire Roberts, Doc, Medic  
>Christian Smith, Romeo, Explosives<br>Ramona Jones, Orion, Translator

p.s. I think I'm going to start posting some of my one-shots on here. What do you guys think about that?


	8. Chapter 08

**Author's Note:** Did you all like learning more about her in that chapter? I hope so!  
>Oh, and p.s. Thanks to <strong>Maiir<strong> and **qfd** for their support*

* * *

><p><em>Warlock? Sounds like some kind of geek with those taped up glasses… who spends all his time behind computer screens, making up girlfriends.<em>

"I know it sounds lame, but that was the name. And the way he played us… it _was_ like magic. We never saw it coming until it was too late."

"And he's still out there somewhere?"

Jules just nodded. Max didn't like that. He didn't like knowing that somewhere out there was a man who wanted Juliet dead. A man who would probably stop at nothing to kill her.

"Mac and a more… elite team… have found all but three of them. Crawford, his second in command, and the man pulling _all_ the strings."

"And do they have any idea where to look?"

"At the moment… no."

That wasn't good enough. She couldn't move on until they killed the mall… or _they_ killed her. And he refused to let that happen.

"Maybe we shouldn't go out tonight."

"Max, no one knows I'm here. And I need to get out of this house. I'm getting cabin fever!"

He did want to take her out. Now more than ever. He just didn't want to put her out in the open like that. Even if she was right, and that everyone thought she was gone.

"I'll make you a deal."

"Oh god…"

"C'mon! You haven't even heard the terms yet."

"That's what worries me."

Max chuckled and then used a finger to tilt her face up to him.

"Do you trust me?"

She looked startled by the question, but when she told him 'yes' he could see the honesty on her face and the raw emotion in her eyes.

"Okay then. We'll go out tonight like I had planned. Dinner, a walk through the streets of Old Montreal… dessert out, or maybe back here…" she growled with a smile. "Definitely here then. All you have to do is let me help you. Finish what we've been talking about and let me start to help you heal."

"Your price is very high."

"The rewards outweigh the cost. Don't they?"

He was being selfish. He knew that. But he had to know the rest of the story. He had to know what happened. He was actually hoping that once she started, everything would spill out and she'd be able to start really grieving for the loss of her friends. She needed to do that. And hopefully the nightmares stopped. Or at least became more infrequent.

"You don't know the meaning of the phrase 'Just let it drop,' do you?"

Max flashed her a killer smile and shook his head back and forth slowly. Juliet sighed and sat up, keeping the blanket over her body.

"I will go downstairs. Make us something light for lunch. Some coffee… you come down when you're ready."

He swept in for a quick kiss and then jumped out of the bed before he could be distracted. Bounding down the stairs he started pulling things out of the fridge to make simple sandwiches and he fixed a pot of coffee. When he heard the squeak of the stairs Max wiped his hands on a towel and slid both plates over to the where he had bar stools set up along one side of the counter. Then he poured two cups from the pot and set the cream and sugar out as well.

Juliet stepped into the room and he gripped the counter to keep from running right over to her and kissing her senseless. She smiled tentatively and sat on one of the stools. He motioned for her to fix her coffee while he cleaned up and then he sat down next to her.

"Do you want to eat first? Talk first? Eat while talking?"

"Thank you for all of this Max. Not just today. The whole thing… I don't know how I'll ever repay you."

"Just being here is enough. I like having you around."

"I like being around."

"Then promise me something."

"Shouldn't I do this first thing you asked before I start making your more promises and things?"

"No, this one's even simpler than the other one."

Her stomach growled and he motioned for her to eat while he took a deep breath.

"When Mac finishes this… don't just pick up and leave. Tell me you'll think about sticking around… at least for the rest of the summer."

"You're pretty confident that he'll have this done in no time," Juliet said with a smile.

"I know he will. Because it's for you."

Touching her hand, he waited for her to look at him.

"Just tell me you'll think about it."

"If he doesn't need me to go back right away… I'd love to stay here longer. I can't promise you that I would be able to though. But if I can…"

"That's good enough for me. Now eat."

They both picked up their food and made quick work of the sandwiches. He poured them both another cup of coffee and then twisted on his seat and waited for her to talk. He didn't have to wait long.

"He sold us out. I still haven't been able to figure out why. Why our team? I still haven't come up with that reason yet… but… like I had told you, we were scoping out the area where they were holding the boy. Crawford had told us that they weren't around. We knew that they didn't have a huge security system set up yet and that we could get in, get a feel for the place… I told Frenchie to stay in the van."

"Then we went in, light weapons and no real armor. Crawford was on point, I was behind him. The others were spread out and we circled the house. Orion and Doc came in from the back door. We had cleared the rooms and were about to take some photos for reconnaissance… Crawford had gone out of the room. I didn't think anything of it."

When Max looked at her, he saw the first tear fall down her cheek. It dripped onto the counter top and was quickly joined by more. He stood and stepped over to her, wrapping his arms around her and rocking her while she sobbed silently.

"I'm sorry. We can stop. I didn't think about… I wanted to help and… We'll let it go."

"No. I want to talk about it. I need to."

She wiped her eyes and sniffled.

"I heard a little tick tick noise. Romeo and I were discussing where we could place explosives now… The canister flew into the room. It clinked on the hardwood floor and rolled for a second maybe two. We all just sort of stared at it and I remember hearing Romeo yell 'SONOFABI' before the flash bomb went off. He'd grabbed me and pulled me against him, hiding my face from the blast. That was how I was able to move quicker."

"There was a muffled laughter. I know I heard it. Then the door was kicked open and broken glass hit the floor in another room. I heard the first pop of gunfire and one of the girls screamed. The scream… it turned to a gurgle, I'm guessing from a knife. Romeo yelled for me to run. I stumbled as I headed back the way we had come in. There were more screams as I sprinted through the door. By the time I got to the van I was yelling for Frenchie to start the vehicle."

"But he was gone too. His throat… I grabbed my bag from the front seat and took a second to decide on which way to go. I could still hear the laughter. And the taunting voice. '_Come out, come out, wherever you are._' It was disturbing. I turned and fled toward the tree line. I heard the shot the instant before it hit me. The pain in my shoulder was like nothing I'd ever felt before. I know I cried out. But I couldn't… wouldn't stop."

"And then you broke into Geno's house?"

"I didn't really break in. The door _was_ open."

"How far were we from where this happened? I would think that we would've heard gunshots."

"It's actually surprising how often there are gun shots and no one thinks anything of it. But, being in the house, it would've been quieter."

Max nodded and took a sip of the hot liquid. It burned down his throat but he needed something to distract him from the hurt that he felt for her. All that she went through. Her entire team was demolished by a madman. And the worst part was… she still didn't know why. He didn't know how to help her stop him, but he knew he'd do whatever he could.

It was strange that he felt something so strong for someone he hadn't known very long. But he'd decided not to fight it. Whatever it was… if it died out, fine. But right now it was a need burning deep within him. The urge to protect this woman at all costs was coursing through him. He didn't want to scare her, but at the same time he wanted to pick her up and carry her to his bedroom again and never let her go.

"Tell me I did the right thing… by listening to Romeo and running. Tell me there was nothing I could've done to stop their deaths."

She choked out the final few words, the tears starting again, and Max lifted her up. Her legs wrapped around his waist and he carried her up to the bathroom, whispering comforting words in his native French as he walked. When he stepped into the bathroom he set her on the sink and peeled her limbs from his body. Slowly, ever so slowly, he started stripping her clothes from her body.

When he was down to her underwear he turned and twisted the faucets, getting a shower going. As the steam lifted up he finished helping her out of her clothes. Making quick work of his own clothes, he pulled her under the spray with him and shut the shower door. She leaned against him, her tears mixing with the water now as he held her.

"There was nothing you could've done chérie. No way that you could've stopped any of it."

He felt her nod into his chest. They stood there for a few moments and he hoped that this was soothing. Perhaps washing away some of the guilt. Max grabbed a washcloth and poured some of that citrusy body wash that she _always_ smelled like onto the cloth before soaping it up. Piling her hair atop her head with the clip she had put around the showerhead, he turned her so she was facing away from him.

Then he started at her shoulders, running the slightly rough material over her skin. He ran it up and down both arms and over the back of her neck before bringing it back around her front and dipping it between her breasts. He didn't spend a long period of time there, moved down to her stomach and sides so she wouldn't think he was just trying to get in her pants… again… but Juliet ripped the washcloth from his hands, threw it down, and moved his hands back to the soapy globes.

"Mon chere, I was not doing this to make you think that I wanted…"

"Shhhh. I want this."

"You're very emotional right now and I thi…"

She spun around quickly, holding onto his arms to keep from slipping.

"Dammit Max. I don't need a lecture right now. I need you to make everything go away again. Make me forget it all, everything but the way you feel inside me. The way your fingers move over my flesh. The way I cry out your name when you suck on my…"

Max groaned and captured her lips, pressing her back against the cold tiled wall. She gasped into his mouth as her back arched against the cool sensation. He took his time learning the contours of her body, hoping that the hot water lasted as long as he planned to.

It didn't. They made it through a rather intense orgasm for her and then he quickly twisted off the water and wrapped her in a towel. Before she could protest, he tossed her in bed and followed, slipping between her legs and burying himself inside her.

"Gah… Magnifique…."

"Stop speaking in a language I don't understand. You could be telling me that I'm a fat, ugly, disgusting… Oh!"

He gripped her hips and slammed into her, driving as deep as he could. A series of punishing thrusts and she was clutching his shoulders and crying out his name.

"Oh god Max… please don't stop! Harder.. yes, oh fuck! Max!"

She quivered in his arms and threw her head back. He growled and covered her, biting down on her neck as he rocked gently. Juliet clawed at him and moaned as he started thrusting faster again. They moved in unison, the only noises to be heard were the smack of skin on skin and an occasional grunt from his lips.

He wanted to feel her fall apart once more before he came, but Max could feel his balls boiling with the need for release. He pried himself loose and backed away before flipping her body over. Juliet helped by rising up onto her knees and he found himself once again nestled in her tight little pussy. He pushed her down though, leaving her prone beneath him, unable to lift her hips. He slid out and back in with quick motions.

"Jeeeeesus you are so big!"

A surge of male pride coursed through him and Max bit his lip as he brought one hand down, snaking it between her sweat-soaked skin and the blankets. He searched for a moment, trying to find the exact spot that would make her scream. As his fingers pressed over the bundle of nerves that was drenched in her juices, Juliet was scrunching the cover in her hands.

"Right there… Max… please… oh, oh, oh… Fuuuck! Yes!"

She clamped down on his dick and Max thought he would pass out. He laid out on top of her and his hips bumped against her ass as he jerked. White hot pleasure coursed through his veins and he bellowed her name. Her hips would probably be bruised later, with the death grip he had on them, but as he felt his load fill her up Max couldn't do anything but smile.

"Juliet… my sweet, sweet Juliet… are you okay?"

"Can't. Talk. Dead."

Max chuckled and whispered praises to her. He felt her shift beneath him as she turned over, bringing their bodies flush against one another.

"Can we still go to dinner Max? I'd really like to get out of here for a night."

He nodded at her and bent down for a brief kiss. There was no way he could deny her something as simple as a restaurant for dinner after the day they'd had. She sighed and wrapped her arms around his neck before closing her eyes and mumbling something about a quick nap before they had to get ready. He agreed, for her, and then slid from the bed to let her sleep in peace.

The dreams must not have been bad because she didn't wake up until late afternoon. It gave him plenty of time to call Marc and Vero, to talk to him about this grand scheme of things. He couldn't keep her all to himself forever, but until she left… he was going to give her the best 'vacation' ever… and perhaps he'd stand a chance of asking her to stay.

* * *

><p><strong>Author's Note:<strong> Do you all hate Warlock? I do!  
>Oh, and I went ahead and posted a different Max story. It's a one-shot, so it's complete as it is! And it's more... present tense than this one*<p> 


	9. Chapter 09

**Author's Note:** I couldn't really think of something I needed to say, but I just like always having this note above the chapter*

* * *

><p>"Oh my god… I cannot… I can't do it. Don't make me!"<p>

Juliet giggled as Vero stared at the sundae in front of the four of them. It was huge, unhealthy, and she was going to make sure the four of them ate it all.

"Oh c'mon Vero. You can help me scarf this down! With the two bottomless pits here, we probably won't even have to eat very much of it!"

The boys pretended to look hurt. But then Marc laughed and shoveled a giant bite of ice cream and brownie into his mouth. Not to be outdone, Max scooped up a dollop of hot fudge and poured it over the vanilla ice cream before shoving it past his lips. A small streak of chocolaty goodness was stuck to his lip. Completely forgetting that she wasn't alone with him, Juliet grabbed Max's shirt collar and pulled him close, licking the smear off of his lips.

He swallowed his bite quickly and molded his lips to hers. He was sweet and sticky, and she wanted to pour more of the dessert over other places on his body. They were making out like horny teenagers in the backseat of a car when the sound of a throat being cleared finally pierced the fog over her brain. Breaking away from him, she tucked some hair behind her ear and looked down at the bowl.

When she dared to look up, Vero was smiling hugely and Marc had an astonished but pleased expression on his face.

"So, he finally decided to do more than hold you to keep the boogeymen away, no?"

Juliet laughed at her friend's comment and nodded as Max slipped an arm around her waist and pulled her closer to him on their bench seat. Vero was chattering on about something but Max was whispering in her ear about how he was going to drizzle chocolate sauce onto her before he licked it away. Putting her hand over her mouth to keep from moaning out loud, she closed her eyes as images popped into her head.

"You would love it Jules. I know you would. You already taste so, so sweet. I can only imagine what it would be like to lick all that syrup from your skin. Can you picture it now, ma chere?"

Unable to form a coherent thought, she just nodded her head. He was too much. Opening her eyes once more, Vero was staring at her, her gaze twinkling with mischief. Juliet coughed lightly and tried to start a normal conversation again.

"So Marc, have you always been a goalie?"

He laughed and started back at the beginning, giving her practically his entire life story. By the time he was finished, they were all holding their stomachs from laughing at things he and Max had told them about inside the locker rooms, bus rides, hotel stays.

_God, it is so easy to fall in love with him._

Max took the bill before she even had a chance to look at it, and they decided on a walk around Old Montreal since the night was young still and it had cooled down with the sun setting. As they stepped onto the sidewalk from the restaurant, Juliet linked her arm through Max's and she smiled at him. He leaned over and stole a quick kiss before starting to stroll through the throngs of people.

They said their goodbyes to Marc and Vero shortly after the walk began. With a kiss to her cheek, Vero made her promise to call the next day so they could make plans to hang out again. As they continued to travel down the walkway, Juliet found herself internally debating her initial reluctance to this plan. Mac had been right to agree with Max. This was really a great plan. She felt as safe as possible, considering what she was hiding from.

When she woke up this afternoon she used her secured, emergency satellite phone and called her boss. Mac told her that they'd figured out who the big fish was. A man who had a personal vendetta against Mac himself. And Crawford was his half-brother. That was how he fit into the situation. Mac said they'd closed in on the area that was being used as their 'headquarters' and he was waiting for the strike to be issued so they could 'just bomb the whole fucking area'… His words, not hers.

She had asked him what would happen when the order was finally followed out. How long before she would have to leave and go back to D.C. for debriefing? Would she be able to come back to Pittsburgh? Was there protocol against sleeping with the guy who was housing her?

Mac had burst out laughing at the final question. And he had told her that he would come up to her for the debriefing, and that after that she had three choices. She could join a new team, get a desk job like he had, or she could be honorably discharged. That meant that she could go wherever she wanted, be with whomever she chose. Now she just had to tell Max that. Without being too presumptuous. She was plotting different situations in her head when she was jerked to a stop.

"You haven't been listening to a word I've been saying, have you?"

Looking around, Juliet noted that they were in a less-clustered area, walking along the river now. She turned and looked at Max. He had a pained expression on his face and she felt bad for zoning out on him.

"I was thinking about what Mac said this afternoon. We discussed what would happen after this is over."

Max's face immediately brightened, while his eyes took on a wary gaze.

"And what did your fearless leader say?"

"That's what I was trying to figure out how to tell you. It's almost over. One command and they'll be gone, and I can come back from the dead."

"And leave?"

"No…"

"No?"

She looked at his hopeful expression and the feelings in her own heart felt like they were going to burst free from inside of her. She smiled at him.

"Mac can come up here to debrief me. So he can take my statement and close everything out."

"After that? Do you get sent back to Washington and become part of a new team?"

"I have a choice to make actually."

Juliet spotted a bench close to them and she tugged his arm, dragging him over to sit down. After turning so she could face him, she took his hands in hers.

"There are three options I have. First, I could go back to D.C. and become part of a new team. Second, I could do a more 'behind-the-scenes' job like Mac does now. Or, I could pack my bags, take my honorable discharge that's due to me because of my time of service, and be done with the military."

"Would you be in D.C. if you took the desk job?"

"Yes. Mac wouldn't let them put me anywhere else. Why?"

"Well, It's not an extremely long drive between there and Pittsburgh. And there's always train rides… or flights… we'd still be able to see one another…"

He looked so cute, sitting there with that hopeful expression on his face. The fact that he wanted to keep this going, see where they could go from the present. She hadn't found a guy who wanted to pursue a future with her since her first boyfriend in high school. And yes, she was young, but the feelings she had for this man… she tugged his hair to bring him close, pressing her lips to his.

"So, you would like to keep seeing me Cherie," Max chuckled.

"I've been in the military since high school. I've done some things that men who have spent their lives in the service haven't done. I've gone places, seen things… I'm twenty-two and I feel like I'm forty! Honestly, I'd always thought I would make a career out of this. But… losing my team… it's made me seriously reconsider things. And… even with a discharge, if I wanted to rejoin later on, I know Mac could make it happen."

"Where does that leave us?"

"I think it means that we could get to know one another more, spend more time together. I could even look for a place in Pittsburgh, if I opted to get out of the military."

"Stay with me."

Juliet looked up sharply. She could tell by the surprised look on his face that he hadn't expected to say that out loud. But then he smiled and she knew he was seriously considering it.

"Maxime… do you really think that would be smart?"

"Juliet… we already live together."

_Well, he has a point._

"Can I think about it?"

"Oui. I would never push you to do something… you should know that by now."

She nodded. She did know that. She wasn't sure how, but she knew that this man was one she could trust and confide in. He had taken on the role of her protector like he'd been born to take care of her.

"No matter what Max, I would like to take you up on the offer to stay the summer with you. If it still stands…"

"I don' know… I may have to think on it for a while. Okay! It's a deal!"

Juliet let out a startled laugh at how quickly he'd made up his mind and then she was splayed over his lap on her back and he was bent over her, kissing her like it was the same thing as breathing. It was almost too awkward of an angle, not quite as bad as the Spiderman rain kiss… but definitely movie-like. When, at last, he decided to lift his head, she was positive that the dreamy look on her face would probably be etched there… permanently.

"Now that you've had some time out in the fresh air, visitation time with your new friends… can we go back home?"

"You make me sound like a pet."

"You are like a tigress in bed… does that count?"

If he had been serious, she would've punched him. But looking up into his eyes, she saw the humor there and so she lifted one hand, twisting her fingers like claws, and then she growled at him.

"Don't make me scratch you."

"Oh, you've scratched me plenty already. But I don't really mind it. Besides, you only do it because I make you purr with pleasure."

"Meeeeoow," she said with a throaty giggle as she sat up. He nuzzled his face into her neck and growled as he nipped at her skin.

"We should leave before we get arrested for indecent exposure."

Juliet nodded and they walked back to the car. They were almost home when the emergency phone in her purse went off. She couldn't get it out fast enough, and only one thought entered her mind as she flipped open the phone to talk.

_It's over._

"Hey Mac, when you coming up to debrief me," she smiled as she spoke into the phone.

"Don't let Max know what I'm saying. Make him think I'm giving you amazing news."

Inside, Jules felt her heart fall to the floorboards. But if Max was looking at her, he'd see a smiling face. Every question she would be asking now had to sound like a good conversation, and she had to pray that Mac would be able to translate her questions.

"It went off without a hitch?" _What the fuck went wrong?_

"Somehow they knew. Crawford and his brother, they got out before the airstrike."

"And when are you getting your scrawny ass up here to debrief me?" _Are you coming up here to take me away for my safety?_

"I'll be up there tomorrow. There's a mole. You aren't safe."

"I know a great place for lunch." _Let's meet somewhere that Max won't be._

"Great, make sure Max stays behind."

"How long do you think it will take?" _When will I be safe again?_

"I honestly don't know Jules. I thought we had them… you have to get out of there when I come. You can't stay with Max and risk his safety too."

"I know, it's gotta be a private lunch. He'll have to suffer for a couple hours." _I hate this. It's going to break his heart._

"I'll keep an eye on him. I promise you. Now, put on a brave face and enjoy another night with him. I'll kill them myself and hand deliver you to him, after I've apologized on your behalf so he doesn't hate you."

"Tell Gramps I'll see him soon." _Please tell me you'll have him with you._

"He'll be on the plane. See you tomorrow. I'm sorry again Juliet."

"See ya tomorrow."

She closed the phone and steeled herself for the lie that would come out of her mouth next. When she opened her eyes, she had to blink back tears before she turned to face Max. She couldn't tell him she had to leave now. She would tell him in the morning.

"It's done?"

"The strike team blew everything to smithereens."

"And Mac will debrief you tomorrow and then you're mine for the rest of the summer?"

"I'm yours for as long as I can be."

"If I told you forever would it freak you out?"

She started to talk but the words caught in her throat and refused to come out. So she grabbed hold of his hand and held it between hers until they pulled in the driveway. Then she led him upstairs and loved him with every fiber of her being, until the sun was peeking through the blinds. Then she jumped in the shower and got ready to kiss him goodbye.

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><p><strong>Author's Note:<strong> Wily little bastard got away again... I know.


	10. Chapter 10

**Author's Note:** I wanted to put up two chapters in a row because I know I've been remiss in my updating! I promise you all a daily post... and I didn't do it! So, I apologize! I'm just on vacation and I've completely forgotten! Sorry, sorry, sorry*

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><p>Max woke up to the sound of the shower. He smiled as he rolled over and glanced at the clock. Juliet had kept him up all night, almost to the point of complete exhaustion. And he didn't think he had anything left in the tank that last time when she'd slid down his body and took him into her mouth. But she was like magic.<p>

He stretched and sat up, some of his muscles complaining as he twisted back and forth. It was still early enough for some breakfast, if she was hungry. And he figured she would be. Grabbing a pair of shorts from a drawer, he pulled them up and sauntered over to the bathroom door.

"Jules, I'm going to go grab some food, you want me to bring up something for you?"

"That would be wonderful. Pancakes? I'll be down, don't worry about dragging it up!"

"Whatever the lady wants," he said with a chuckle. Turning and heading downstairs, Max found himself humming.

_Men don't hum. What the fuck is wrong with me? You're in love._

And he was. He was completely besotted. She had him ready to stand on top of the world and shout out his love.

_I will tell her as soon as she comes into the kitchen._

With that decided, he set about gathering everything for breakfast. He was almost finished with the second stack when he heard footsteps coming down the stairs. Looking up, Max's heart lurched in his chest.

She was beautiful. So very beautiful. Dressed in a simple Pens t-shirt and jeans, her hair pulled into a ponytail, light make up on… it was a natural look. And he blurted out the words before he could think of a suave way to say them.

"I love you."

Juliet stopped mid-step into the kitchen. Her eyes went wide, possibly bigger than the pancakes on the plates in front of him. He watched a slow, sad smile spread across her face and his heart stopped beating. She didn't feel it yet, didn't love him back. Starting back up, she came to a stop in front of him and fell into his arms. He wrapped her up in a tight embrace and felt her shaking. Then he felt wetness on his chest.

"Juliet? I'm sorry. I didn't mean for it to just come out like that. I should've figured out a better way to tell you. I… tell me what to do?"

"Did you mean it?"

The question was muffled, but he heard it. Tilting her tear-stained face up to his, Max gave her a brilliant smile. He nodded and she sobbed out the words that made him feel like the luckiest man on earth.

"I love you too!"

"Why are you crying then, silly girl?"

"Because… because I am."

He looked down at her but she was glancing sideways, not meeting his eyes.

"Juliet, what's going on?"

"Nothing," she whispered. He didn't believe it for a second.

"Liar. Do not keep it from me, whatever it is. Is this about the phone call yesterday?"

Max watched the expression play across her face. Shock, anger, sadness, denial, fear… he'd heard her side of the conversation though. She'd been all smiles while talking to Mac.

"Juliet… you can't stay here can you?"

"... No..."

"It didn't go as planned yesterday, did it?"

"Max… I-I… I shouldn't be talking about this. I don't want to put you in any danger."

"I knew the danger when I volunteered for this Juliet. Do not hide things from me. Don't treat me like I'm not important."

"You're the most important person to me right now Max. They got away. And Mac thinks my 'secret hideaway' might not be so secret. He used the term 'mole.' So someone on our side is telling them things. I can't risk you getting hurt because of me."

"Let me go with you."

"I don't even know where I'm going. Mac probably won't tell me until we're in the air and halfway there."

"So this is it?"

He didn't want to believe her. He wanted her to smile and cry out 'Gotcha!' and laugh as he chased her back up to the bedroom. But she didn't laugh. Pieces of his heart were breaking off, floating down his chest cavity and landing like lead in his stomach.

"I _have_ to leave. If I stayed and something happened to you, or Marc, or Vero… I wouldn't be able to handle it Max."

"Promise me you'll come back."

"I don't know how long it will take unt…"

"PROMISE ME."

"I can't."

"Why?"

"Even when Mac gets me to this new location… it's still not a certainty that I'll be any safer. Not if there's someone telling them what's going on. Until those two are dead, and the leak is plugged… I can't promise I'll make it through every new day that dawns."

"Don't fucking talk like that."

Taking her hand, Max pulled her close and lifted her onto the counter. His hands were on her face, cradling her head as he pressed his lips to hers. She couldn't stand around talking about the possibility of dying. Leaving was bad enough… if he thought about someone killing her, her life coming to an end… it tore him up.

As if sensing the turmoil within him, Juliet pulled back and tore her shirt over her head. He blazed a trail of kisses over her collarbone, dipping down and nipping at the flesh that was hidden by her bra. He heard her gasp and he stepped between her legs, placing her hand over his crotch and pressing himself into her palm. Her fingers wrapped around him and he groaned as he sucked one satin-covered nipple into his mouth.

Juliet cried out and let him go long enough to push at the waistband of his shorts. He felt them slide down his legs and he kicked them away. His fingers were ripping open her jeans at the same time and he pulled her off the counter, spinning her around as he shoved the denim and her panties down to her knees.

"Max, let me get them off and…"

He didn't let her finish her sentence. With one hand he pulled her hips out. He growled at her to bend over and then he was back inside her tightness.

_This isn't fair. I've just found her. I love her. She loves me. Why is she being taken away from me?_

Since he knew she didn't have the answer to any of the thoughts in his head, Max punished her with each thrust. All the hurt and anger he was feeling came out each time he shoved his hips against her ass. She was crying out, screaming his name, and he felt her free-flowing juices coat him as she came quickly from the rough pace he set. Staying deep within her, Max leaned in close, nipping at her ear.

"I love it when you scream my name."

She gasped and he rolled his hips, wringing out a whimper from her. Moving her from the counter, Max pulled himself from her depths and walked over to one of the dining chairs. He sat down and grabbed her hand.

"Ride me."

He groaned as Juliet slid down over him, encasing his entire length in heat. His fingers found her hips and he guided her at a slow pace. Her breasts were bouncing in front of him, her head thrown back in pleasure. He pulled her close, her tits now pressed against his chest. She bit her lip as he kept the steady pace.

"Max… please…"

"No, you'll come with me this time."

"Oh god… Max!"

The responsiveness… it was mind-blowing to him that she got so much pleasure out of their time together. He couldn't let her go, refused to believe that this was how it had to be. Burying his face in her neck, he felt tears threatening to escape.

"Do not leave me Mon Coeur… please…"

His voice broke and he didn't care. He probably sounded weak, but he literally felt his heart seizing with each beat, cracking down the middle. Juliet cupped his face in her hands and gave him a sweet yet sad kiss, her lips moving gently over his.

"I'm so sorry Maxime. This is how it has to be though."

She tightened around his shaft and Max cried out in heartbreak and pleasure. He moved one hand, flicking her clit with his thumb as he listened to her shaky voice.

"Make me forget it all Max. Make it all go away baby."

Lifting his hips, Max drilled into her again and again. She told him when she was close, as if he couldn't tell already. They came together and he felt a tear slide down his cheek as she leaned into him and cried into his neck.

Forty minutes later, the pancakes forgotten, he held Juliet next to him in bed. She promised that Mac would keep him updated any chance he could… that he could keep the satellite phone for secure communications. And as soon as she could, she'd come back to him.

They were both fast asleep when the alarm went off. Just enough time to grab a shower and drive her to the restaurant. He refused to let her take a cab. They jumped under the spray together and then it was time to go.

He knew the place that they were meeting at and it had an outside patio that would be nice for this lunch meeting. Juliet didn't take any of her things with her. Just her purse. She told him that it wouldn't do to have luggage with her for a simple 'lunch date' and that she'd end up getting new clothes when they reached wherever it was that they were going.

Max tried one more time, while in the car, to get her to change her mind. He'd get a gun, let her teach him to shoot, protect her. Sure, he was begging. He didn't care.

"Drop me off at this corner. The restaurant is right across the street. I'll be careful, I'll be back… Max… I promise you, I'll be back."

If it hadn't been for the word promise, he probably would've tied her to the passenger seat. But he knew, deep down, he had to let her go. For her own safety, and for his.

"And Mac is going to keep me updated? You swear?"

"He'll be like an annoying older brother."

"I already have two of those, what's one more."

Juliet smiled, slightly, and then she gave him a long, loving kiss. When she pulled away, there were tears in her eyes.

"Leave the light on for me Blue Eyes. I'll be back in no time."

"Stay safe mon amor. Come home to me. If it's in the fall, come to Pittsburgh… meet me there."

She nodded her head and wiped at her eyes. Then, probably before she could change her mind, she hopped out of the car and slammed the door shut. He watched her walk through the crosswalk, sunglasses over her eyes, looking like she didn't have a care in the world. He knew she was taking in every inch of her surroundings, making sure there wasn't a dangerous situation. He watched her sit at a table with a man. It had to be Mac, but he didn't actually know what the man looked like. They talked for a couple minutes and then they both stood up and talked to the waiter before stepping into the building.

_Restroom break or going inside from the heat. I need to leave before I make a fool out of myself._

Pulling back out onto the street Max drove by the bistro. He was almost a block away when it hit him that he hadn't told her again that he loved her. He couldn't go back now, not unless he was extremely stealthy. Pulling off the street, he was debating whether or not to get out and figure out how to see her when the ground shook. Focusing his gaze in the rearview mirror, he saw the explosion, the fire and smoke and debris.

_No… no, no, no, no, NO!_

People were running down the sidewalks and he leapt out of the car and ran toward the insanity. There were people screaming and crying, he could hear sirens already in the distance. He stopped at the rubble where the patio area had been. He could see no one. No bodies, no body parts… everything and everyone was gone.

_How could they have known where she was going to be?_

Max stayed there, beside the remains of the building, tears streaming down his face as he cried for the loss of the woman who'd come to mean so much to him. He screamed out in pain and anger, looking up towards the heavens. And in his fit of rage… he didn't see the black SUV the pulled out of the alley. Nor the woman who had her hands plastered to the windows, sobbing as she silently begged him to forgive her someday.

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><p><strong>Author's Note:<strong> I'm sorry... She's not dead though, you saw that part, right? NOT DEAD!


	11. Chapter 11

**Author's Note:** Okay, so that was what... June/July of 2007. We're jumping ahead about half a year. Just wanted to make sure everyone understands that! :)

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><p><strong>January 1, 2008<strong>

Juliet stared out at the scenery from the window of her kitchen. The waves were coming in from the Pacific and the sun was out even though it was early morning and the middle of winter. There was no way she'd be out in the water like her crazy neighbor… but the sun did look nice. Gramps was in the living room looking for the channel that the game was going to be on.

Max's team was playing the Buffalo Sabres today in what the NHL was calling the Winter Classic. An outdoor game, on a rink that was put up in a football stadium. Max wouldn't be playing, he was injured. But she wanted to watch it anyway. It was as close as she could be to him, and she didn't want to forget, even for a moment, what he looked like.

She heard a thumping out on her porch and initially she reached for the gun in the drawer by the sink. When she looked out the window though, her eyes softened and she smiled as her neighbor stomped his feet a few more times to try and get most of the sand off his sandals. In the few months since she'd moved here, she'd become fast friends with the quirky next-door neighbor and his European accent.

Mac had promised her that this was as safe as she could ever be, without feeling like her personal space was being invaded by agents. The house was constantly under surveillance, but she and her grandfather went about as if it were just the two of them.

Sure, she didn't get to go out, but really… someone in her condition didn't want or need to go out and drink and dance. Not exactly the smartest move she could make. But the one thing she'd asked Mac, was if she could make friends with her neighbors. He'd agreed that it wouldn't be a bad thing, it would give her someone other than him, or Gramps, to talk to.

_Tap, tap, tap._

Shutting the drawer firmly, Juliet walked over to unlock the screen door. The slightly dorky, extremely sweet neighbor stepped over the threshold and handed her a bag.

"Did you bring something for the game?"

"I bring us fresh fruit. It is still early, and so I thought that, under the circumstances, it was a good option. Your grandfather is joining us, yes?"

"I am son, and I have the perfect idea of what would go perfect with that fruit. How about I make us some pancakes?"

Juliet smiled as her grandfather, Arthur, walked into the kitchen. The thought of pancakes made her stomach roll. Max had been planning on making her pancakes that morning. Had it really been six months since that day? Sometimes it seemed like a lifetime.

"Juliet… doll… you okay?"

She nodded at her beloved family member and excused herself. She heard the two of them laughing as she walked into the living room and on the TV, there was some man talking to Max. He was so handsome. His face was scruffy, and he had on these chunky-framed glasses on. Her heart ached with her need to go to him.

_Find them Mac. Find them and kill them. I miss him so much, sometimes I feel like I'll burst._

"I did not know you were such a hockey fan. I mean, you've never said anything about it until now. Do you follow the sport closely?"

"No… I just… I knew a guy who played, and this game seemed like it was something special."

"So… you've never seen a game before?"

Juliet shook her head.

"We could change that. Anaheim has a team. They're pretty popular around here. What if I got you and Arthur tickets to their next home game?"

She thought about it. Wondered if it was something she could do.

_Fuck it, I need something other than this damn beach house._

She decided to call Mac after the game and tell him that she'd be going, and that he either needed to get agents there, or come himself. Smiling, she nodded to her neighbor.

"We'd love to go. Would you be sitting with us too? I've heard you and your friends talk about hockey before. You could probably explain things to me better than if I was watching on my own."

"That would be difficult. I kind of… work at the arena."

"You do? Well that sounds like fun!"

"It's amazing. Juliet… you don't know who I am do you?"

"Should I?"

To her amusement, he blushed and stretched out his arms, cracking his knuckles in a nervous manner.

"Not to make myself seem extremely awesome, but… I play… for the Ducks."

Juliet stared at him. He didn't look like a hockey player. Well… he didn't look like Max. Or Geno. He could've pulled off Flower's stature… a light bulb went off and she laughed out loud. He seemed to jump at the sudden noise.

"That's why you and Bobby are always talking about hockey. I thought that you were just an obsessed fan or something. This definitely makes more sense! Why didn't you… How come you never told me Jonas?"

"I didn't want you to like me because of what I do. When you moved in beside me, I wanted to get to know you because you seemed like you needed a friend. It took me three weeks to get you to look at me! I wanted to tell you, but it was refreshing to meet someone who didn't want to talk to me because I played professional hockey. Don't be mad, okay?"

"You've been a great friend to me since I moved here. I wondered what you did that had you leaving now and then, but not always the same span of days. And I'm not mad, not at all. But thank you for finally coming clean."

Jonas smiled back at her and she could tell he wanted to say something but then Gramps hollered from the kitchen that the food was ready and they went in and grabbed food before settling in to watch the game. He explained different calls to her, what the overtime consisted of, and when it came down to a shoot out, he explained that as well.

"So if Crosby scores here, the Penguins will win?"

"Yes. And he's young, but he's a very talented player."

Juliet's eyes were glued to the television screen. She watched this Sidney person skate down toward the goalie and as he shot the puck he threw his hands in the air, screaming for joy. The announcers were beside themselves as they both shouted that the Pens had won the game and she blinked back tears.

_Congratulations Max. I love you._

Turning her head, she caught Jonas looking at her thoughtfully. She quirked an eyebrow at him.

"Can I ask you a question?"

She nodded, sitting back and sinking into the couch.

"This guy that you once knew, the one who played hockey… what happened between the two of you?"

"I broke his heart."

"Why?"

"Circumstances beyond my control forced me to leave him."

"How long ago was this?"

"Six months."

"Do you love him?"

"With every fiber of my being."

"Will you ever be able to talk to him again?"

"I'd like to think so. But right now it's out of my hands. Hopefully someday… someday I'll be able to explain why I left the way I did."

"You seem like a good person Juliet, so I hope you get that chance."

"You do?"

"I do. Because one day, she's going to want to know about her father."

He leaned over and placed a hand on her stomach, and Juliet felt the little one inside her kick against his palm. The tears threatened to spill again and she wiped at her eyes while she told her friend as much as she dared about her past. Who she fell in love with, and how she hoped to right every wrong between them. When she was done, he pulled her into his arms and for the first time she really cried about losing Max. After the tears slowed, she looked up at her friend.

"Thank you for today."

"You have been a good friend Juliet. I hope that our talk, and my promise of hockey tickets, has lightened your burden. And when, not if, you get to talk to this man… if he doesn't forgive you, you come find me. I'll get the boys together and we'll set him straight."

Juliet giggled at the thought of some of his teammates going after Max.

"You're a good man Jonas Hiller."

He smiled and kissed her hand.

"It will all work out, in the end. You of all people deserve the chance to be happy. I will see you tomorrow."

That night, as she lay in bed thinking about everything that Jonas had said, she prayed that he was right. That it would work out. She didn't want to have to do all of this on her own, and she wanted, more than anything, for Max to know that he was going to be a father. The baby flipped over, kicking as he or she moved.

"Don't you worry. Uncle Mac will get rid of the bad guys. And once it's safe, you and I are going on a little plane ride."

But a month and a half later, in a small and _private_ hospital room, Juliet held a tiny bundle in her arms. The little angel was sleeping peacefully and Mac was talking to the armed guards at the doors in case anyone tried anything. Gramps was down at the cafeteria getting coffee, and that left the man in the rumpled suit in the corner.

He had driven over after the team got back from Boston. He stirred slightly and she whispered to him.

"Jonas… come look."

Waking up and shaking his head, she smiled at him as he stepped over and stared down at the baby girl.

"She's beautiful. Did you decide on a name?"

"Yes. Genevieve. Genevieve Marie Talbot."

"I'll help you protect her. I promise."

"I know. And I'm sorry that I've sworn you to this secrecy… but until it's safe…"

"No one else will know her last name."

"I want you to be her godfather. And if something happens to me… you know how to reach Max."

"Nothing will happen to you. Mac wouldn't let it."

"Promise me Jonas… If not for me, then for her. You and Mac are the only two who know about Max. Please."

"I will gladly take on the responsibilities of godfather, but you don't freak out like this. You're going to be fine."

She hoped he was right. And she kept her fingers crossed that this nightmare would end soon.

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><p><strong>Author's Note:<strong> Sooooo... what do you all think?


	12. Chapter 12

**Author's Note:** Skipping through time more. 16 months to be exact. This would be just a few days after the Pens won the Stanley Cup!

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><p><em><strong>June 15, 2009<strong>_

"Mon ami. You need to stop this. You are on a crash course for disaster."

Max heard the voice, but it sounded like it was a million miles away. And muffled. He threw his arm up as light poured into his bedroom. Blinking rapidly, he stared, bleary-eyed, up at his friends.

"What do you two want?"

"Max. This has got to stop."

"Fuck you Sid."

His captain didn't even flinch. He took the comment in stride and sighed before walking into the hallway. Flower was beside him in an instant though, speaking quietly.

"I know this is a hard day for you Max. I do. Maybe you should talk to someone. You never did after… after it happened. You never really gave yourself a chance to grieve."

"I don't need your infernal wisdom Marc."

"You need to listen to someone. It's been two years. She wouldn't want you to be like this."

"How the hell do you know what she'd want? You barely knew her!"

"But the different dinners and things where we talked was time well spent. I know you loved her Maxime… But she's gone now and I thi…"

"Don't tell me what you think she'd want me to do."

The words were barely audible and his fists were clenched.

"I say it because no one else really knows the full story. And no one else would have the balls to tell you, to your face, that becoming the man whore you've become would make her ashamed. Do you honestly think she'd want to be with someone like you are now?"

"You're this close to getting punched in the face."

Marc stepped back but didn't leave. Max knew he wouldn't. That was the kind of friend he was. He wanted to help, wanted badly for something to make Max feel better. But there was nothing that could fill the aching void. He'd spent the better part of the last two years trying to forget about her.

Juliet.

It had been two years exactly since the explosion that had sent his world careening out of control. He didn't remember driving away from the accident site, but somehow he'd ended up at Flower's. His clothes had been a mess and the tears had been flowing non-stop. He didn't know how he'd managed to get the words out, but he had.

Somehow he'd explained about the explosion, and that Juliet was dead… and then he'd just broke down. Inconsolable was a good word for what he had been like. Like a little girl who'd just lost her favorite teddy bear, he's wept and sobbed and cried out. Then, as hard as it had been, he'd put the hurt and anger aside.

He'd tried to forget what had happened, who she had been. No one on the outside world would be able to understand it. To the rest of the world, she'd already been dead. And Mac, who he later found out had survived the blast, had come to express his sorrow… but it wasn't something he'd been ready to hear.

Why had he survived when Juliet had been killed? How was that fair?

"_Max, you have to understand tha…"_

"_Get out Luke MacDonald. You have nothing to say to me that I would ever want to hear."_

"_Someday… I'll come back someday and we'll talk Max. When that day comes, please listen to me."_

The next time he'd seen the man, right after the Philly series, he'd had not one, but two girls with him. Mac had gotten into his house somehow, and walked in at a most inappropriate moment. The look of disgust on his face had been so extreme that even Max had felt embarrassed. Mac had left without a word and Max had asked the two women to leave. And then he'd taken the longest, hottest shower ever.

Two months later, he was celebrating winning the most coveted trophy in all sports and he had no one to share it with. He was alone. Marc broke into his reverie.

"C'mon Max. We need to get ready for the parade."

Max nodded and crawled out of bed. He got ready and went through the motions of the parade with his friends and teammates.

There were parties all summer and he had surgery to fix the shoulder that he'd messed up. He wouldn't be coming back at the beginning of their final season at Mellon Arena. Part of him was glad for the extra time. He was starting to find himself again and while his arm might be taking longer to heal, his heart was finally starting to patch itself together.

In his home game return, right before American Thanksgiving, Max found himself looking around. He knew she wasn't there, but he hoped that she was looking down at him from heaven and proud that he was becoming the old Max again… that he was turning into a decent person once more.

His birthday was celebrated with fanfare, his teammates going all out and making it a day that he honestly couldn't say he had been sad. They kept him busy but mostly sober, since the next day was a game day, and he ended up sitting on Flower's deck, telling his tragic love story to his closest friends on the team.

Geno remembered her from that initial meeting and was sad to learn that she had passed on. Marc told them stories about the few times he and Vero had joined them for dinner, recalling that final one, with the sundae.

Max teared up some, but he was too busy being lost in the good memories to really get brought down by the sadness. Sid didn't comment much, but in the end he made a toast. He held his beer bottle up to the night sky.

"To Juliet Forbes. She'll never know how much she touched the lives of those she knew and those she never got to meet."

"Merci, mon ami. I wish you all would've been able to meet her."

They stayed out there a little while longer, until the cold finally seeped into the porch area. Max thanked them all for such a wonderful night once more, and then they parted ways until meeting at the arena for the game the next day.

By the time the regular season came to an end, they were secure in fourth place once again in the conference and headed to the first round of the playoffs, against Ottawa. But luck didn't shine down on them twice on a row, and they were knocked out of the conference's semi-finals by Montreal.

He didn't want to go home after that, so instead he took a trip down to the Bahamas for a summer of relaxation. He found himself slowly forgiving the way things happened. He still loved her, a part of him believing that somehow she could come back. And one night, while in his hotel room, alone, he dreamt of Juliet.

And for the first time, in a long time, the dream didn't end in a horrific explosion. No, instead, she met him on the sidewalk and told him she loved him. That she would always love him, and that she'd see him when everything was over. He woke up from the most realistic dream he'd had and felt the tears running down his cheeks.

"I miss you so much mon amor... I still can't believe you're gone."

He hugged the pillow close to him, trying to remember the way she felt when she had been sprawled out beside him in bed. He couldn't remember the last goal he'd scored, but he could remember the way her hair felt between his fingers as he played with the strands while she lay sleeping on his chest. The last big win celebration was fuzzy but every moan and laugh she made was branded on his brain.

_Will I ever be able to find love again?_

The sun and sand tugged at his heart. He wanted to feel happy again. Maybe not fall in love, but just happy. He had his career still, and his friends. His family was healthy. Maybe they were right, maybe he did need to move on. He was walking along the shore one day, trying not to think about the date, when he heard someone clear their throat. Thinking it was a fan that had recognized him, he turned and put on what he hoped was a most convincing Max Talbot smile.

"Hello Max."

That one face took all of the shabby walls he's been building, all the moments he thought he was getting better, and tore everything down. Two words, that was all that was said, and he felt the pain like it was this morning. The smile fell from his lips and he felt a blind anger fill his body.

"I told you to stay the hell away from me Luke."

"I know… and I know that today of all days, you just want to be alone. And I'm the last person on earth you'd ever want to see… But I made you a promise, three years ago… that when I finished it, you'd be one of the first people to know. So here I am."

"It's done? You caught them all? They will be tried for what they did to her?"

"There will be no trial."

The hard edge in his voice made Max realize that there was no need for a trial... because those responsible for Juliet's death, and her team's massacre, were dead. He looked at Mac, taking in the cuts on his face and the sling over his left arm. It must not have been an easy battle. Stepping up to the man, Max couldn't stop himself from hugging him. He heard the grunt of surprise and then the good arm was patting him on the shoulder.

"I told you I'd do it Max. And I promised Juliet."

"It doesn't bring her back… but it helps. Also… I'm sorry for the way I have been to you… it was wrong."

"Everyone grieves in their own way Max. Let's go have a drink at the bar. Today, of all days, I think she would like that."

And so, the two walked back down the beach and were sitting at the bar while Mac explained how they'd tracked down Crawford and his brother to Italy. And then, just when they thought the bastards were going to run again, they got a prime opportunity. And they took it.

"Are you sure they're dead?"

"I shot Crawford myself and burned his fucking body. And one of the guys on my team took out his brother. We saw to the clean-up ourselves, so I know that yes, for sure, they're dead."

"Then it's truly over."

"Yes Max. It's over."

"Will you do something for me Mac?"

"I was going to ask you the same thing."

They both laughed and clinked bottles. Mac gestured for him to go first.

"Will you tell her grandfather I'm sorry and that I would like to meet him someday… if he's ever up to it. I'd like to know more about Juliet's past. She mentioned that he was the only family she had left now."

"There's another person she has. She didn't know about her before she... died... And I'll talk to Arthur when I visit him. I promised him the same thing I did to you."

Max nodded and hoped the older man would agree to see him. It was selfish, but he wanted to ask for a photo of Juliet… just something to remember her.

"What did you want to ask Mac?"

"I wanted to know if you thought it would be possible to forgive me... for... everything."

"It was never your fault. I know that now. I lashed out in pain and anger. There is nothing to forgive mon ami."

"Well, just remember that in the future, okay? I want to know that I'm safe from retribution from you," he said with a smile.

Max quirked his head to the side and asked Mac what the hell he was talking about. The other man just chuckled and said the beach and alcohol were getting to his brain. They spent the rest of the day together and Mac promised to keep in touch, for good reasons this time. The next morning, Max took him to the airport and watched him get on a flight to California. He hoped that Juliet's grandfather would be able to rest easier now that the murdering bastards were dead. He certainly felt more light-hearted. Pulling out his phone he dialed a number quickly.

"Allo?"

"It's finally over Flower. She can rest in peace."

"Good my friend, and you, how are you doing?"

"I think I can come to Montreal now."

"Come to Paris instead. Vero and I are vacationing. We will have a good time, then go back to Pittsburgh early to get ready for the season. We have a Winter Classic to get ready for again. And I know that, like me, you don't want to miss this second one."

Max laughed and told Marc he'd be on a flight the next day. He spent the final day on the beach, staring out at the water and remembering the few months he had with the woman who had changed his life. Did she watch him? Look down at him from above? Was she disgusted with what he had done in the months following her death? He was going to be a better man now, someone that she would be proud of. He'd made the promise before, after the Cup… but he planned to stick to it this time.

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><p><strong>Author's Note:<strong> Okay, I just want to make it clear, because I did speed things up in this chapter… It started 6/15/2009 and ended at 6/15/2010. Didn't know you could cover a year so fast, did ya*


	13. Chapter 13

**Author's Note:** We're nearing the end of the story now! Can't you believe it? And yes, I know this is a lot of posts in one day, but I wanted to get it all out!

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><p><strong>June 17, 2010<strong>

"Jonas, I told you to come by later after I've gotten Viv to sleep and… OHMYGODMACWHATAREYOU… MAC!"

Juliet dropped the plate of cookies she'd been holding and tackled the man standing in her doorway. He hadn't changed much in the past twenty-eight months. A few more lines on his face, more from stress than laughter probably, and his eyes held a weariness that she hoped never to feel. But he was still her Mac.

"God, it's so good to see you! What are you doing here though? You said it wasn't safe unless… you did it. You finally got them… Mac?"

"It's over Jules. Taken care of. Finished. Done."

"Will I have to go to a trial?"

"Now Juliet… you should know me better than that," he chortled. She smiled, in spite of the meaning, and hugged him again.

"Wait until you see Viv. She's getting so big. And she looks just like Max… Oh god... Max."

"I've already spoke to him."

"You told him…"

"No! No way. I am not the right person to do that. That needs to be you."

"How do I… Mac, he thinks I've been dead for three years. He's going to hate me. Look what I've kept from him. Not only am I not dead… I had his baby. She's the spitting image of him, so there's no way he'll doubt it… but… he won't forgive me."

"Haven't you spent all this time trying to figure out a way to tell him when it was over?"

"Honestly… I didn't know if it would ever be over. I love you Mac, and you're tough…but what you were going up against… I figured I'd be hiding all my life."

"Wow. The faith you had in me… that's astounding."

"Sarcasm does not become you."

He smiled and pushed her aside, walking straight into the living room where Viv was currently playing with some blocks.

"Hey… you have to tell me more than that! Mac! C'mon!"

"Hey Squirt! Remember me? Of course you don't… you haven't seen me since you were born. And you wouldn't remem.."

"Unca Mac."

Juliet smiled as, for the first time she had ever seen, Luke MacDonald became speechless.

"You better sit Mac, before you fall over."

"How… how does she know me?"

"Viv, baby… wanna show Unca Mac your room? I think he'd like it."

She watched as her beautiful baby girl smiled the most charming Max Talbot smile in the world and grabbed Mac's hand. She said 'Go Unca Mac' and dragged him from the room. Chuckling, Juliet picked up the blocks that her daughter had been playing with and put them back in the box. Then she headed upstairs to the bedroom she could hear voices in. Stepping through the doorway, she smiled.

"Pretty nifty, don't ya think?"

Mac was sitting on one of the little pink princess chairs that Viv had. They matched her table where the two of them would have tea parties. Or Jonas. He was really good with tea parties too. She couldn't wait to tell him that she was no longer… what was she? Not a fugitive. Not under Witness Protection. She was dead. But _not_ dead. She would need to talk to Mac and figure out…

"Momma."

"Yes sweetheart?"

"Daddy," Viv said, pointing to a picture of Max and Flower and their bromance after winning the Cup. It was one of the many photos that lined one wall in her room. It was completely dedicated to Max. There were game photos, things he'd done in the community, quotes… Juliet had avoided pictures with women… she didn't want to think about how he had moved on so easily and she was still pining for him.

"Good job Genevieve. That's Daddy. And who's with him?"

"Flower."

Mac looked between the two of them.

"You've taught her who people are?"

"Okay… so maybe I did harbor the hope that you would get rid of the boogeymen."

"Boogeymen?"

"That's what I call Crawford and his… 'Family'… She knows that it means 'bad people' and that's good enough. She also understands that until they were gone, she can't meet Max. But she knows him when he comes on the TV."

Noticing that Viv was yawning and starting to get droopy-eyed, Juliet told Mac to go downstairs and grab something to drink while she put the little one down for a nap. He nodded and blew Viv a kiss. She giggled and waved. After tucking her in, Jules practically ran down the staircase and was sitting at the table, waiting… impatiently… for answers.

"How? When? Where? Tell me everything. Now."

"We found them in Italy and…"

"No, not about Crawford. I don't care about that Mac. As long as you tell me they're dead, and I'm free to be me again… I'm good with that. I want to know about Max."

"He was a mess before Juliet. I mean… he was devastated for the first month. And things went downhill from there."

"Is that why the women existed? I saw different photos on the internet… I mean, I want him to be happy and if he's moved on…"

"He loves you. Trust me. There may have been women, but they didn't mean anything. I don't know whether that's better or worse."

"He loves me? Still?"

"Juliet… I think he's only started grieving over the past six months or so. You need to go to him."

"What do I say?"

"I have no idea."

"When can I leave?"

"Leave him?"

"No… leave to see him? I mean… how much paperwork will there be? I've been legally dead for three years. Our daughter doesn't have official records. The original mission paperwork has to be revised… This is no easy matter. Don't forget everything from this latest escapade. Gimme a ball park figure. Don't sugar coat it."

"Earliest time frame… October."

Her face fell. Another four months? Well, she could do it. She could wait. She _would_ wait. She'd wait a lifetime to see Max if that's what it took. Maybe all this extra time would give her a way to figure out how to tell him everything.

She needed to get all of Viv's scrapbooks packed first. There were photos and videos and memorabilia that covered pretty much every second that the child had been away. And a couple funny pictures of her sleeping. All things that he had missed.

"Will he resent me Mac?"

"I think he'll be shocked at first. Shock will lead to anger. Anger to disbelief. I'm sure a ton of other emotions… but I promise… he loves you. And he will forgive you."

They talked more about Max, the mission, what she planned on doing now that it was safe.

"I'm going to the grocery store."

Mac laughed and offered to take her. She shook her head no though. She would go with her goofy neighbor. He would be almost as excited as she was to go out in public and not worry. The last time they'd tried that, the hockey game when she was still pregnant… she'd been so stressed that she had to leave by the middle of the first period and had asked the hidden agents to get her safely back to the beach house.

"I'm going to call Jonas. Screw that. You stay here and listen to make sure Viv doesn't wake up while I'm gone. I'm going to walk, alone in the middle of the day, over to his house!"

Mac laughed and told her to have fun. She shoved her feet into flip flops and sprinted out the back door. In like five seconds she was in front of her neighbor's door, knocking loudly and yelling for him to get his scrawny ass out to see her. He came to the screen, blinking and putting his glasses on. She loved his dorky side.

"Oh god, what's wrong? Is it Viv? Is she hurt? What are you doing out here?"

"It's over Hillsy! I'm free to do what I want! I can go to a club, go to the mall… I can go grocery shopping!"

He threw open the door with a yell and picked her up, spinning her around like he did with Viv. They laughed together and as he set her down he pressed a quick kiss to her forehead.

"Please tell me you're going to fly out to see Max now!"

"As soon as Mac gives me the green light. Could be a couple months though. There's a lot of loose ends to tie up. I swear I'm going to pack my suitcase tonight!"

"Let's go celebrate. Anything you wanna do… Anything at all?"

"Viv's taking a nap, Mac's staying with her. Let's go get groceries and I'll cook diner!"

"Why don't we just go out?"

"Oh, I didn't even think about that! So much better! Let's do that."

That night, for the first time since that summer in Montreal, Juliet found herself out and about, mingling with other people. Jonas had a couple of the guys from the team join them, Gramps said he'd watch Viv and Mac was staying the night so he had joined them as well. It was so nice to be in public. To be with people.

The next day she started writing down what she would say to Max. How she would meet up with him. Nothing seemed right though. Showing up at his house unannounced, no. Having Mac put her up on the screen during a home game, nada. They were playing Anaheim, in Anaheim, sometime in the first half of the season. If the paperwork wouldn't be done until October, she could meet him there… They wouldn't have any time though.

She needed a time, after the season started… when he would have a few days off. No traveling, just down time. But even around Christmas they wouldn't… Grabbing her phone, Juliet dialed up Jonas.

"Dude… you said that the Penguins were going to be playing the Capitals in another Winter Classic, right?"

"That's right."

"In Pittsburgh, or in D.C.?"

"Pittsburgh. Why?"

"That's when I'm going to see Max."

"You're going to wait for six months?"

"I know. It's selfish, it's wrong, it's… I can't do it until after Mac has everything sorted out. That will be after the start of the season. When else will he have the time to sit and be able to talk without home games or travel time?"

"But… six months… How can you make him wait?"

"I don't really have a choice."

"You could do it here, when they come."

"But then he'll have to leave… and if we need time to settle things… hell, we're going to need time. And I want him to be in an environment where he feels comfortable. Pittsburgh is his second home."

Jonas tried to talk her into an earlier time, but with her mind set, nothing he said could change her mind. The months dragged by. Mac contacted her regularly. Things were going smoothly and he hoped that all of the files would be done when he wanted. But like everything else with this mission. Things went wrong. More than once.

It wasn't until December 19, 2010 that she got a phone call telling her that she could now go wherever she wanted. She could announce to the world that she was alive and healthy if she wanted. But instead, she just packed a suitcase for her, one for Viv, and tried, unsuccessfully, to get Gramps to join them.

"I'll come out when the weather's nicer. Or when you and he decide to come out here. I've grown to like this place."

Jonas was on an away trip and wouldn't be back for two more days. She decided to wait until he came back. Viv would be upset if she didn't get to tell him goodbye before they flew out. When he finally returned, she had him over for dinner. They were sitting on the front porch swing, Viv already asleep.

"We're going to fly out tomorrow. I don't know what's going to happen."

"Are you scared?"

"Yes. Not of what he'll do, but of what he might not do. Everyone seems so convinced that he's just going to take me back. But I'll be asking him to take on the responsibility of not just me, but of our almost three-year-old daughter. That's… that's crazy!"

"He'll be so happy. You can't begin to imagine what he's going to say when he sees you."

"He's going to yell. Be really angry…"

"I don't think so."

She looked at him like he'd grown a second head.

"Explain."

"He's going to be too happy to see you to be mad. You were the love of his life, and now you've come back from the dead. And he's never forgotten… he loves you. He'll forgive you."

"How can you be so sure?"

"Because... I'd forgive you. And Max is a good man, like me."

"Jonas… why didn't you ever make a move?"

"Because, I could never do that to Max. I don't really know him, but you guys deserve your second chance. But Juliet…"

"Yes?"

"If for some reason it doesn't work out... I'll be here. Okay?"

"I knew you'd say that."

He hugged her and walked over to his house, telling her he'd take her to the airport in the morning. And the next day, she and Genevieve flew out to meet up with Mac. Mario Lemieux had been informed of the entire story, and he had agreed on a way to get Max alone. After the outdoor game was over. She had a week until she saw him again. The days couldn't go by fast enough.

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><p><strong>Author's Note:<strong> I know, she sounds really selfish in this chapter... But it was how the chapter wrote itself, and far be it for me to yell at the characters! :)


	14. Chapter 14

**Author's Note:** Here we are, the final chapter!

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><p><strong>January 1, 2011<strong>

Mario wanted to talk to him about something. He didn't know what it was, but he'd made it seem like it was extremely important. Leaning back, Max rested his head against the stall and closed his eyes. He just wanted to go home, have a drink, and go to sleep. Hearing footsteps, he knew the boss was almost to the room. The door opened and the footsteps stopped.

"Hello Maxime."

His breath caught in his throat, memories played in his brain like a movie and he fought to keep his eyes closed. The pain he thought had finally started to dissipate came roaring back with a vengeance at the seemingly familiar tone.

Ever since that visit from Mac some six months ago, he had dreamt or thought of Juliet at least once every few days. This was the first time he'd imagined her voice while he was doing something hockey-related though. And as he felt a person come to a stop in front of him, he caught a whiff of citrus and his stomach clenched.

_You'd think I was the one who got his bell rung, not Sid_.

"Max… look at me… please."

He didn't. He couldn't. The pain that would slice through him when he opened his eyes and found no one there… it might kill him.

"I miss you so much sometimes," he whispered. Clearing his throat, he thought of the words he'd always wanted to tell her. "Every now and then I'll see a woman on the street and she'll remind me of you. We didn't know one another for a long period of time… but I loved you enough in those few months to last three lifetimes at least."

"Max… Maxime look at me. I. Am. Real. Open your goddamn eyes and see for yourself…"

_There's the bossy woman I remember_.

He finally did as she commanded and opened his eyes. As he looked up, he stared into her familiar green gaze. Blinking a few times, he waited for her to vanish but she stayed there, in front of him, a nervous smile on her lips and a hopeful gaze.

"Juliet? How… are you… How… JULIET?"

Max stood up and she sobbed out a breath as she launched herself into him. He caught her and his hands roamed all over her body as he tried to memorize each curve in case she disappeared again. He didn't understand it. She was dead. He'd seen the photos. Been there in person. The building had been demolished and… deep down he'd always wondered because there was never a body found. But they had said that with the explosion and everything… no remains…

She clung to him, her arms locked around him like she was sinking at sea and he was a buoy that could keep her afloat. Mumbling something into his suit jacket, he pulled away slightly and tipped her head back. Tear-stained cheeks, a red nose and a watery gaze stared up at him.

"What did you say?"

"I'm so sorry! I never wanted to leave you! Please believe me! I didn't have a choice.. I never had a choice!"

"I was there though. I saw the explosion… and… they faked your death? That's what Mac meant when he came to see me before!"

Juliet nodded slowly and he knew that he should be furious right now. He shouldn't want to have anything to do with her. But he also knew that this woman… she had meant more to him than any of the women who came before… or after. They'd all been there as a way to get over the loss of this one.

How many nights after that horrible morning did he beg and plead for it to be a nightmare that he was living through. That she had gotten out in time. How many times had he cried out 'Just give me one more chance!' and not gotten a response. He'd given up thinking that God could help him in any way after that. And the year they won the Cup, he played with the shoulder injury.

Surgery, therapy… he'd done everything right but hadn't been able to come back and play right that next season. And this year… he was better, but not where he wanted to be. And he'd cursed God for that as well. And he's sinned. Over and over. He'd slept with too many women. Each one he'd used like a crutch to try and get over his emotional and physical pain. It hadn't worked. They'd solved nothing.

And then Mac had come to visit him. He'd talked, asked Max to forgive him some day and told him to look inside himself to try and come back to the man he'd been before. So he'd looked at himself. And he hadn't liked what he saw. Changing his ways, he found himself no longer angry at the world. And now, by some miracle… she was here. In front of him. Telling him she had never wanted to leave him.

"I know it's a lot to process right now. And I know that you probably hate me right now. But… I came here for two reasons. The first one is simple. I love you. I've thought about you every single day that I've been gone. There were so many times I wanted to call you, send you a letter, ANYTHING! But it was forbidden. I kept all my thoughts in journals though. And when something would pop into my mind and I was somewhere else I used napkins, receipts… I have it all still."

She was biting her lip, a nervous habit that he remembered. Right now, as he stared at her, it just made him want to cover her mouth with his and kiss her senseless. She was right… it was a lot to take in, but he would figure it out. They both would. The only thing that could stop them now was if she'd found someone while…

"What's the second reason," he asked gruffly.

"You have to know, before I explain things… I didn't know if I was ever going to be able to see you again. If it would ever be safe for me to come out from my protection detail. I have lived a sheltered life for the past three and a half years. A lot has happened since I 'died' and I jus…"

She was interrupted by the door crashing open and a small bundle running through it screaming 'Momma, Momma, Momma!'

This was exactly what he had been thinking of when he'd ask what the second reason was. Juliet was a mother. He couldn't blame her for moving on. Sure, he hated that she had just said she loved him, and now she was holding the child she'd made with some other man. But it wasn't her fault. She had found a way to move on and make the best of this clusterfuck of a situation.

He wondered if the little girl looked like Juliet. He hoped so. She would be a heartbreaker when she grew up. Mac came running through the door a second later, stopping beside Juliet, his hands on his knees as he tried to catch his breath.

"God she's a little heathen," he muttered with a smile. Then he turned to Max and the two shook hands. "This is why I hoped you'd be able to forgive me… her… our job… everything." He turned and held out his hands. "C'mon Viv, let's let Mommy talk."

Max stared at the man. _That's_ why he'd wanted his forgiveness. Not because of 'The Incident,' but because he'd taken Juliet for himself. He still couldn't see the child's face, but he heard her mutter as she curled her arms around her mom's neck.

"No Unca Mac. I stay here, wif Momma."

_Uncle Mac?_

His heart started beating in his chest again. He still didn't know the whole truth, but he was breathing again. That was a good sign.

"Genevieve… what did Mommy tell you? Didn't I say to wait until it was time to come and get you?"

The little head, covered in a Winter Classic hat, bobbed up and down.

"Well, I suppose this works too," she said, mostly to herself, as she placed the little girl on her feet and crouched down with her. Max watched as she unbuttoned and unzipped the jacket. She tugged it off and he noticed the Talbot jersey with a smile. Then she tugged off the hat and a mass of dark brown curls fell everywhere. He watched her place a kiss on the child's forehead.

"Mommy… Can I say it now?"

"Let me introduce you first baby." Max watched her pick the child back up and as she spun her around, he felt the ground drop out from underneath him. "Max, this is Genevieve. Now you can say it. Just like we practiced."

Blue eyes stared at him. A smile so similar to his broke out over the girl's face and she brought a hand up and waved at him excitedly.

"Hi Daddy!"

He didn't move. He didn't sit down, he didn't even think he breathed. She looked just like him.

Max opened his mouth to tell her hello, to say something, anything… but no words came out. He closed his mouth and sat down on the bench, shoulders hunched. Looking up at the two of them… he couldn't begin to think of what he could say at the moment. Juliet let her little one go and she walked over to him. Her eyes were big and bright with that child-like innocence. She had a smile on her face and she touched his cheek.

"Daddy… why you crying?"

He tried to respond, to give her an answer, but he choked on the words. So instead, he slid off the bench and onto his knees before wrapping her up in the tightest hug he thought he could give her without crushing her. He held her head with one hand, keeping her cheek pressed to his. The tears were still falling and he probably made a couple unintelligible noises… but he couldn't help it.

He cried as he held his daughter for the first time. He cried for the lies Juliet had needed to live by in order to keep the two of them safe. He cried for the time lost to the two of them. Mainly, he cried for all those moments he'd missed with his daughter, watching her birth, her first steps, and her first words.

Arms wrapped around him and he looked up to see Juliet kneeling behind their daughter, trapping her between the two of them. She placed a hand on his other cheek and wiped the tears away with her thumb. He grabbed hold of her hand and held it tight as the three of them shared their first moment as a family. She murmured apology after apology and when he finally found his voice again he silenced her.

"This, all of this. It wasn't your fault. It wasn't my fault, it wasn't Mac's fault. None of us are to blame for this."

Mac cleared his throat.

"I'll take Viv out with me for a couple minutes. Give you a chance to talk some more. Come here Devil Child. We need to let Mommy and Daddy catch up, okay?"

Genevieve sighed loudly and Max couldn't stop the laugh that he barked out.

"Daddy happy! Okay, we go Unca Mac."

Max couldn't help but smile at her and he gasped in surprise and joy when she pressed a quick kiss to his cheek. He watched the two of them walk out and then he pulled Juliet directly onto his lap. She let out a squeak and threw an arm around his shoulder.

"I swear I have everything she ever did on film. I prayed that we could figure out a way to make something work. I don't know if you're seeing anyone and I know you must hate me right now bu…"

He couldn't listen to her berate herself anymore. And he had to taste her again. Dragging her face to his, he sealed her lips with a kiss. She tasted like he remembered, and like nacho cheese. That was new. It just made him remember that he hadn't eaten in about six hours. Instead of being romantic like he wanted to, his stomach took the time to growl as loud as possible. She pulled away with a laugh.

"Maybe we should get you some food."

"I love you." He watched her eyes go wide. "I do. There's never been anyone like you in my life. Not before you held Geno at gunpoint or since. I've done some things that I'm not proud of… but after the building exploded, I just didn't care. I wanted to make the pain stop. Nothing worked. I want you to know that there have been other women… I can't take that back. But I'm clean. And they meant nothing. And if you wanna slap me for that, go right ahead."

"Just tell me you don't hate me and that you want to get to know your daughter, and I won't remember anything else you say tonight," she said with a smile.

"I definitely do _not_ hate you. And I would love nothing more than getting to know _our_ daughter!"

They talked for a few more minutes, Juliet answering all the questions he fired at her. She could tell he was getting antsy by the way his knee was twitching and she chuckled. Crawling off of him, she held out her hand to help him up and they walked toward the door.

"Are you in a hurry to get food?"

"What? No! I want to go capture her in my arms and never let her go!"

"Then let's go get her. We'll grab some food and you can drop us off at the hotel."

"Hotel? Fuck that! We'll go to the hotel and grab your stuff… and then you and Viv are coming back to my house. No ands, ifs, or buts."

When they came out into the lounge area, Mac was standing with Cookey and Duper and Viv was running around with the other kids. They walked up to him and Duper gave him that perfect 'What have you been hiding from us' look. He was just about to tell them a team explanation would be best when and eardrum-piercing scream filled the air.

"**JULIET?**"

Max heard the click of heeled footsteps and turned just in time to be shoved out of the way as a little brunette blur ran past him and tackled Juliet, sending them both to the ground. When he turned again, Marc was standing there, his eyes wide and confusion clearly written on his face. Mario came in behind them, a small smile on his lips. Slowly… each of the guys came in as well. When they were all standing there, puzzled looks on their faces, Max cleared his throat.

Juliet finally extricated herself from Vero's arms and grabbed Genevieve before coming to stand beside him. He heard some gasps as they got a look at his daughter and he saw questions ready to be asked. Max held up a hand before they could start.

"Some of you know the story about a woman named Juliet, and what she meant to me. And how I fell in love with her one summer. And how she was taken away from me. It seems that somehow, a way I haven't really been told yet, she didn't die. Guys… This is Miss Juliet Forbes. And the little one in her arms is Genevieve Forbes."

"Talbot," Juliet whispered to him. He looked at her in surprise. "Her name is Genevieve Marie Talbot."

Tears clogged his vision again and Max wiped at his eyes before they could fall. It wouldn't be very manly to cry in front of all the guys. Juliet grabbed his hand and he smiled.

"My mistake. This is our daughter, Genevieve. Ladies, these are the Pittsburgh Penguins."

Introductions were made and the next thirty minutes were spent with Juliet and Mac explaining everything that happened and why she'd been hiding and what could happen now.

"So, you can be wherever you want," Flower asked. Max stared. Unblinking, as Juliet's face slipt into a huge smile.

"That's right. Wherever I want to be."

"Which is right here with me. And that's that."

Max grabbed her after he said it and held her face in his hands while he plundered her mouth. When the kiss was finally over, and he'd pulled back, he realized that there were only a few people milling about the lounge. He didn't care that he'd scared them away. He had a lot of time to make up for. And he planned on reacquainting himself with this woman. Tonight, and for the rest of his life.

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><p><strong>Author's Note:<strong> So... That's it. The end. I would like to do an epilogue... but my muse has seemed to vanish from this project... so until she decides to come back, I must leave you with this* I hope you've enjoyed the ride!


	15. Chapter 15, Epilogue

**Author's Note:** So... I thought that this was over. I thought that the story was complete. But then someone asked about what happened to them, what happens in their lives. And I wanted to write an epilogue. It took me a long time to get it done, but here it is. And I like it* Hope you all do as well!

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><p><strong>July 7, 2011<strong>

"Maxime, where are you?"

Juliet shouted through the second floor hallway of Sid's giant summer house. She needed to talk to him, now. It wasn't like there were a million people visiting at the moment. And she could see Sid and Marc out on the deck, Vero and Viv were playing in the yard.

_How can he hide so well?_

She was just about to yell for him once more when a hand snaked out of the bedroom she was walking by and pulled her in. She tensed and thought about how she could take out this unknown assailant when she heard him speak.

"For the love of all things holy, do not kill me mon amour."

There was a light chuckle after the statement and she immediately relaxed and curled into the warm body in front of her. She was definitely getting better at not attacking first. It helped when there was a three-year-old running around all the time, playing Hide-and-Seek, pretending to scare her, screaming out laughs as her 'uncles' tickled her and chased her.

"You're getting sneaky Maximus."

"You're just more comfortable around me now."

He had a point. The first couple weeks in Pittsburgh, she had jumped at every sound she heard outside his house. And the first time he snuck up to hug her from behind she had bruised his ribs. It was unclear who she had apologized more to after that incident… Max, Bylsma or Mario.

But it had been easy to get Max to forgive her. And the other two had just laughed. She was going to miss everyone from Pittsburgh. All the friends she'd made. Especially Vero and Mel. The two of them had been the closest thing she'd ever had to 'girlfriends' and they had quickly bonded, helping introduce her to what it meant to be attached to a hockey player. She had thought that being in the military was tough…

"Juliet, you are not listening to a word I say, are you?"

She blinked and then looked up into Max's eyes. They seemed even bluer today than normal. They matched the sky outside. And when she looked into their endless depths, she felt like she could fly.

"I'm not… sorry babe, I'm a little preoccupied today."

"I know that it seemed kind of... spur of the moment, and that you probably planned on staying in Pittsburgh. But I didn't just have myself to think about now. I have you and Viv… and while I love this city, Philly was offering something that could mean a comfortable life for us. Nothing really flashy, but no freakish concerns about money."

"I'm not worried about that Max. I just want you to be okay. I'm worried about the fact that you signed with probably the biggest rival of your former team. I'm going to have to become your bodyguard and not your wife, aren't I?"

Max just smiled and let out a bark of laughter as he brought her left hand up, the new solid band on her left finger glittery in the sunlight, and pressed his lips to the white gold. She leaned into his solid chest as she remembered the simple, sweet ceremony they'd had at Geno's house after the team had been eliminated from the playoffs by the Lightning.

Erin, Geno's wife, had asked her uncle to come preside over the small wedding celebration. He was the same man who had married the two of them, and he had been the perfect man for the job. Max had talked her into a gown that reminded her of a Greek goddess. She had wanted to hide her scar at first, not sure how people would react to it. Then she remembered that the only people who would be there would already know the story. And Max had told her she should wear it as a badge of honor.

Mac had stood in place as her maid of honor. Mel had been Max's best man. Everyone had laughed at their opposite sex bridal party, but it had been perfect. Viv had walked down the aisle before her, dressed in a similar gown, her dark brown curls blowing gently and giving her an angelic quality. And Gramps had walked her down the aisle. She didn't remember the ceremony, didn't remember the after party. She just remembered Max placing a quick, sure kiss to her lips after they were pronounced man and wife.

"… and so I don't think it's a bad thing."

"Hmmm?"

"Cherie, you are entirely too distracted today. Where is your thoughts?"

Smiling at his pluralization problems, once again, she snuggled into his embrace and brought up the information she'd been waiting two days to tell him.

"Max, when did you wanna go to Philly and look at houses?"

"Well, I kind of wanted to stay here a few more days. This will be the last time I get to spend a long period of time with these guys until next summer… it… it's weird. Why?"

"I was just thinking that we could probably make a list of things we need. Nice sized kitchen, amazing master bathroom, multiple bedrooms so we have a couple for guests, us, Viv, a nursery. And multiple baths would probab…"

"What?"

"What, what?"

Max pulled back, placing his hands on her shoulders. He squinted his eyes at her, staring intensely. She tried to keep a smile back, but failed miserably. Biting her lip, she just shrugged.

"Well, it's not like we've been terribly careful when it comes to those things."

"You're pregnant?"

"Nine weeks."

"You're not sick though."

Before she could respond, before she could even blink, Max had her hand in his and was dragging her out of the room and down the stairs. He ran through the first floor and the open door that led to the deck. All conversation stopped and their friends stared at the two of them. Mel was the first one to speak.

"Max, Jules… what's going on?"

"We're having a baby," Max shouted. There was a split second of silence before everyone let out a cheer and clapped. She watched Genevieve's face break out into a huge smile as she ran over and tackled her father's leg. She was babbling about babies and dress up and sisters, Vero and Mel wanted to know how far along she was, Marc attempted to touch her stomach, and his fingers were promptly smacked by Max, and Sid offered to go grab a round of celebratory drinks, with juice for her and Viv.

The rest of the day flew by. She called Gramps, Mac, Jonas, and a couple of the WAGS. Max called his parents and sent a text to some of the guys from both teams. Chris Pronger and his wife gave them the number of a great realtor who had worked with a bunch of athletes for Philadelphia. By the time they settled down for bed, Viv already passed out on an air mattress in their room at Sid's, Juliet was completely exhausted from all the well-wishers. Max was behind her, his arm lying over her, his fingers splayed out over her stomach.

"I'm scared," he whispered.

"Scared? Max… that's just silly."

"What if I'm not good at this though? What if I'm not good at babies?"

"I've watched you with your brother's children, Kuni and Duper's little ones, your _daughter_… You're great with them!"

"Were you scared… with Viv?"

"I was petrified actually. But she was my link to you. My reminder that you and I had shared something beautiful. And when she was finally here, all I wanted to do was protect her from anything bad that ever came her way."

"She's excited to be a big sister."

"She is. It will be a little different of course. She won't be the baby anymore. But I don't think we'll have too many problems."

"We're having a baby," he said for the millionth time. It came out with that hushed amazement, like he couldn't believe he was getting to be a part of something like this. And she had to remember that for him, this was new.

"We are. And you're going to be just fine. Besides, there are a few months to figure things out. It's not like he or she will be here tomorrow!"

Max chuckled and snuggled closer to her.

"I love you, my wonderful warrior wife," he whispered into her ear. She laughed lightly at his alliteration.

"And I love you, you perverted Frenchie."

She fell asleep to his even breaths, thanking her lucky stars that she had found this man. That someone had been looking out for her the day she lost her friends, and that whoever it was up there who was playing at being her guardian angel… that they had deemed her worthy of a second chance to fall in love with the man who made her whole.


End file.
